- Scientists created painkillers based on protein found in cone snails' venom
- They may one day lead to development of drug to treat chronic nerve pain
- Expert said development of substances was an 'important incremental step'
Scientists create painkillers that could be more powerful than morphine from the venom of SNAILS
Scientists have created powerful painkillers from the venom of snails, it has been revealed.
The substances, based on a tiny protein found in cone snails' venom, could be more effective than morphine.
They may one day lead to the development of a drug to treat severe and chronic nerve pain
Cone snails, which are typically found in warm and tropical seas, use venom to paralyse their prey.
The fluid contains hundreds of small proteins, known as conotoxins, which appear to have an analgesic effect in humans, said Prof Craik
Researchers are working on the development of a conotoxin-based drug that can be taken orally - unlike the only drug that uses the protein now, which must be injected into a patient's spine.
And preliminary trials are promising - with a prototype drug tested on rats shown to 'significantly reduce pain'.
'We don't know about side effects yet as it hasn't been tested in humans, but we think it would be safe,' said Prof Craik, who will soon present his discovery at an American Chemical Society conference.
'It acts by a completely different mechanism than morphine, so we think it has a minimal possibility of producing the side-effects of that medication. That is one of the big advantages of this drug
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2582114/Scientists-use-venom-cone-snails-create-painkillers-powerful-morphine.html#ixzz2w904bVtw Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook