Tarantula venom as an alternative to opioids?

[Tanuki]

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/national/pain-medication-being-developed-using-tarantula-venom-as-alternative-to-opioids?

"Researchers at the University of California, Davis are using tarantula venom to develop a new type of pain medication that they hope will provide an alternative to addictive opioids.

The project is part of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative, which is aimed at ending opioid addiction and creating non-addictive therapies to treat pain.
....

Copenhaver is a member of a 20-person team that is using computational biology to turn a poisonous peptide from the large and hairy spiders into one that can relieve pain.

Researchers say the same venoms from spiders and scorpions that can cause pain and neurological dysfunction can also help nerves work better and reduce pain."...(more)

[Goonch]

1. ;-{)

[Budi]

2. Bite me!

😬

[Midnightwalk]

3. I wonder if they can get it to work like a patch

Poke at it until you "get a dose". I wonder if I could patent that as an "Apparatus for efficient low cost pain relief delivery "?

In Arizona the tarantulas don't bother anyone. Leave them alone. I wonder what type of spider they get the venom from for the research. Sounds interesting.

[csziggy]

4. They are using Peruvian green velvet tarantulas

Turning tarantula venom into pain relief (video)
NIH-funded project at UC Davis Health may provide an alternative to opioid pain medications
July 13, 2021

{SNIP}

Nine different types of these channels have been identified in humans. The sodium symbol is Na, so the voltage-gated channels are referred to as Nav1.1 through Nav1.9.

The Nav1.7 channel is the one that interests pain scientists the most because it is a key source of pain transmission.

That’s where the tarantula venom comes in. A peptide — a type of protein — found in the venom of the Peruvian green velvet tarantula blocks Nav1.7, preventing it from transmitting signals, including those for pain.

“The promise of a Nav1.7 inhibitor is that we would have something that is as effective as an opioid, but not addictive,” said Wulff, who specializes in preclinical therapeutics development targeting ion channels.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/turning-tarantula-venom-into-pain-relief-video/2021/07

[Midnightwalk]

7. That was fun to watch and read

Thanks

[panader0]

5. Lots of tarantulas here in SE Az.

I've handled them many times and never been bitten. Wrong kind of tarantulas.
I will be growing papaver somniferus this year. Legal to grow for flowers and seeds,
but illegal to extract opium from them. I'm beginning to have a few aches and pains at 70.
I smoked opium a few times long ago and have to admit I loved it. Dreamy.

[Shellback Squid]

6. and another species goes on the endangered list