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| Chinese red-headed centipede |
In a test done by Glenn King of the University of Queensland in St. Lucia, Australia, purified a molecule of 46 amino acids from the toxin, or venom of the Chinese red-headed centipede. When it was tested in rat neurons by IV, the peptide inhibited pain-associated sodium ion channel and had little effect on related channels.
Researchers then compared the molecule injected into mice that were exposed to noxious chemicals or heat and saw that the higher the does the less they felt pain and showed no obvious side effects. The researchers came to the conclusion that this molecule and maybe others from centipede toxins could provide powerful pain treatments for chronic pain. However it only mentioned the studying being done with Chinese red-headed centipedes, so it leaves me to wonder how other centipede venom would act. I thought this was a very interesting article, like I stated above though, I wonder if other centipede venom reacts the same way or if different centipede venom can help with things other than pain.
http://doi.org/n35
http://ezproxy.stockton.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.stockton.edu:2048/docview/17584456?accountid=29054
