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Spider poison has benefits: research

Xinhua, March 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Australian researchers have discovered some spider venoms have painkilling properties which are better than conventional drugs, local media reported on Thursday.

University of Queensland researchers have identified seven compounds in the spider poisons which could lead to a new class painkillers with fewer side effects than existing medicines.

They discovered peptides substances in the venom block the molecular pathway responsible for sending pain signals from nerves to the human brain.

The scientists examined 205 spider species, and discovered 40 percent of venoms had at least one peptide which blocked the human proteins which play a key role in transmitting pain. Endi