Venom

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/