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Venom

Venom. Historical and Modern Uses. Presented by Erin Hill. Basilisk. Greek Origin Possible distortion of cobra or asp Giant serpent or serpentine rooster Immensely venomous!. Overview. Venomous Creatures Ancient Uses Science Modern Uses. Venomous Creatures. Insects. Wasps

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Venom

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  1. Venom Historical and Modern Uses Presented by Erin Hill

  2. Basilisk • Greek Origin • Possible distortion of cobra or asp • Giant serpent or serpentine rooster • Immensely venomous!

  3. Overview • Venomous Creatures • Ancient Uses • Science • Modern Uses

  4. Venomous Creatures

  5. Insects • Wasps • Sting is similar to bees’ • Not fatal, but painful, swollen bites • Termites • Explosive chemical warfare! • Some soldiers can “self-detonate” to take out enemies • Centipedes • Females more poisonous than males • Ants • Possibly fatal in allergic persons

  6. Scolopendra (technically not an insect) Bee Termite Ant

  7. Arachnids • Black Widow • Bite is rarely fatal • Spider is generally non-aggressive • Brown Recluse • Fatal bites are rare • Tarantula • Again, rarely fatal • Scorpions • 1050 species dangerous to humans

  8. Tarantula Brown Recluse Black Widow Scorpion

  9. Marine • Jellyfish • Tentacles armed with nematocysts • Lionfish • Immediate pain from sharp spines • Stingray • Few fatalities • Result from a tail impact to chest area • Cone Shell • Highly toxic snails

  10. Stingray Lionfish Jellyfish Cone Shells

  11. Amphibians • Poison Arrow/Dart Frogs • Famous for vibrant colors and toxicity • Gather toxins from digested insects • Salamanders • Like frogs, secretes poison through skin • NOT a danger to humans

  12. Poison Arrow/Dart Frogs

  13. Reptiles • Gila Monster • Bite hard and HANG ON • Rattlesnake • Not as highly toxic as cobras • VERY aggressive nature • Coral Snake • Follow red-yellow-black color pattern • Sea Snake • Closely related to cobras

  14. Gila Monster Coral Snake Rattlesnake Sea Snake

  15. Mammals • Soricidae • Related to moles • Poison flows through front teeth during biting • Platypus • One of two oviparous mammals • Males possess sharp, poisonous spurs on their inner hind legs

  16. (detail of Platypus spur) Platypus Soricidae

  17. Ancient Uses

  18. Healing and Religion • Ants • Were used to treat skin diseases 2000 years ago • New Guinea: sutures! • Native American: Honeypot Ants • Africa: Nile tribes used them to cure neurological disorders • Bury patients in a formicary (ant-farm)

  19. Narcotics • Spanish Fly • Actually a type of beetle • Popular ingredient in aphrodisiacs • Produces an itching sensation to exposed skin

  20. Weapons • Ants • American Tropics: allow Army Ants to “march” through homes to clear out pests • Sea Cucumbers • South Pacific: toxic entrails used to poison fish • Poison Dart Frogs • South America: true to their common names, are still used to coat darts and arrows for hunting and warfare

  21. Science

  22. What’s Inside • Stingers • Scorpions, Insects • With insects, stinging mechanism is usually ripped out after one attack • Fangs • Snakes, Spiders • Toxin in injected directly into the blood • Often causes no damage externally or when ingested

  23. Nematocysts • Jellyfish • Whip-like stinging cell • Spines/Spurs/Barbs • Lionfish, Stingray • Poisoning by contact with sharp surfaces • Other • Frogs, Salamanders • External excretion • Cone Shell • Stinging radula (tongue)

  24. Sea Scorpion with Poison Spine Snake Skull with Hollow Fangs Jellyfish with Nematocysts

  25. How They Work • Most stings/bites from poisonous animals are not life threatening • Many animals attack only when there in no other option • Health is compromised if: • Very young or very old • Sick, immunodeficient, or severely allergic • Amount of toxin ingested/applied • Strike contacts chest or face

  26. Dermatonecrotic • Causes lesions and burning to exposed tissues • Example: Box Jellyfish • Neurotoxin • Cause paralysis or respiratory system, cardiac system • Example: Cone Shell • Must be injected or ingested

  27. Modern Uses

  28. Bees! • Apitherapy • Refers to the use of honeybee (O.Apidae) venom for medicinal purposes • Melittin: very potent anti-inflammatory • Apamin: enhances nerve transmission • Dopamine: neurotransmitter similar to adrenaline • Seratonin: emotion-regulating neurotransmitter

  29. Current Applications • Relieve arthritis and asthma • Relief from acute conditions like tendonitis and chronic conditions like back/neck pains • Can be used to soften and break down scar tissue • Future Applications • Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis • Prolonged treatment time, but better overall results • In this case, the usual symptoms of reaction (itching, swelling, etc.) are the desired effect • Bee venom is used directly from the source • Bees, handled by experienced keepers, are allowed to sting the patient locally • Storing the venom decreases the potency

  30. Poison Arrow Frogs • Batrachotoxin • One of the strongest animal toxins • A single drop interferes with nerve impulse transmission • Heart may stop functioning • Some frog-eating snakes are immune • What makes their system different? • Before the heart stops, it is thrown into hypercontraction • Small amounts could be used as a cardiac stimulant after a heart attack

  31. Sea Cucumber • Holothurin • Blocks nerve impulses • Many side effects: • Prevents tumor growth • Regulates heart rate • Improves metabolism • Provides glycosides • Cardiac varieties increase force of heart contractions

  32. Scorpions • Giant Israeli Scorpion • Peptide Chlorotoxin can be isolated from the venom • Only attaches to cancerous cells • When paired with a chemotheraputic agent (samporin), makes a drug that targets and attacks only cancerous cells

  33. Snakes • Some venoms can be used in small doses to prevent blood clots • Snake Milking • A relatively harmless way to extract snake’s venom • Snake is coaxed to “bite” glass bowl/jar lid • Collected venom is used to make “anti-venom” to treat snake bites

  34. Milking a Snake Applying Anti-venom to a Bite

  35. (Most) Photos and Information Courtesy of: “Poisonous Plants and Animals” Team C007974, ThinkQuest 2000. http://library.thinkquest.org/C007974/

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