Venom from scorpions, snakes and spiders contains a peptide that researchers say could be used for heart attack treatments. *
“Thanks to continuing advances in knowledge and treatment like this, heart attacks are no longer fatal for all. But, they can financially wipe out savings to pay for healthcare costs not covered by insurance and the necessary time off from work to recover.”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
Scorpion toxin heart attack; July 17, 2020 A new report published by the American Chemical Society may benefit future treatment of heart attacks and heart disease. Venom from scorpions contains a peptide. This peptide according to researchers has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of rats with high blood pressure.
A report in Science Daily explains that Scorpion venom is a complex mixture of biologically active molecules. The venom is painful for those unlucky enough to be stung by a scorpion. However, they note, individual venom compounds, if isolated and administered at the proper dose, could have surprising health benefits.
According to the report, one promising compound is the tripeptide KPP (Lys-Pro-Pro). KPP was shown to cause blood vessels to dilate and blood pressure to decline in hypertensive rats.
Researchers suggest could lead to drug for heart attack treatment
The researchers treated mouse cardiac muscle cells in a petri dish with KPP. They measured the levels of proteins expressed by the cells at different times using mass spectrometry. According to the summarized findings, the researchers found that KPP regulated proteins associated with cell death, energy production, muscle contraction and protein turnover.
In addition, the scorpion peptide triggered a reaction that lead to reduced contraction of cardiac muscle cells. These results suggest that KPP should be further investigated. The researchers say it could lead to a drug for heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.
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“One American has a heart attack every 40 seconds,” shares Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical illness Insurance. “Thanks to continuing advances in knowledge and treatment like this, heart attacks are no longer fatal for all. But, they can financially wipe out savings to pay for healthcare costs not covered by insurance and the necessary time off from work to recover.” For that reason, the critical illness insurance expert advocates individuals learn more about affordable ways to cover this risk.
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- Source: American Chemical Society Publications, June 29, 2020
Photo credit: Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
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