The toxic bite of Gira Monsters can kill humans, but why certain ingredients in lizard poison cocktails carry glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists like Ozenpic and Wegoby is.
At the end of the 20th century, endocrinologist Daniel Drucker looked for a human intestine-like hormone with similar appetite suppression and blood sugar-regulating qualities that do not break easily by the human body. I did. .
Drucker was reading about the work of endocrinologist John Eng, gastroenterologist Jean-Pierre Raufman, and biochemist John Pisano, who sequenced proteins with Gila Monster. (Healoderma Sumpectum)) I found two that looked like venom and human GLP-1.
Drucker and his team at the University of Toronto For analysis for further research, Gira Monster was acquired from the Utah Zoo breeding program. This work We have confirmed that unique genes in lizard species produce proteins, exendin-4it fits the bill, mimicking the GLP-1, hanging much longer while hanging from the human body.
The synthetic version was created a few years later, But that I’ve taken it Until 2005 For this GLP-1 agonist to become an FDA approved treatment For type 2 diabetes. It is also now a popular treatment for obesity, with potential uses on the horizon.
This is not the only thing we rely on Chemical arsenal of poisonous animals. Life-saving drugs have emerged many times throughout history in natural crucibles.
One of Top seller drugs from around the world Ironically, it comes from snake venom, but it is far from “snake oil.” Lisinopril Reduce chemicals It constricts the blood flow. That’s why it is prescribed for survivors of hypertension, congestive heart failure, and heart attack.
However, the manufacturer of its natural shape is Brazilian viper (Bothrops jararaca), evolves to produce enzyme inhibitors that help the venom spread smoothly through its prey’s fate body.
Sea sponge is one of the most ancient animals on this planet, so it took a long time to cook interesting molecules. the Caribbean sponge (Tectitetetya crypto) It produces strange things Nucleosides Instead of the immune system, it protects it from onslaught of foreign DNA introduced into bodies that are stuck by predators and prey.
These nucleosides Provided inspiration for the chemotherapy drug cytarabinewho is that in? A list of essential medicines For use in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia.
Animal toxins have been proven to be useful in treating other cancers. 2004, Oncologist Jim Olson was disappointed To discover that thumb-sized cancer was left behind even after 14 hours of surgery to remove tumors from the brain of a teenage girl.
He teamed up to find molecules that would help surgeons see cancer with the naked eye, and thanks to a newly assembled DNA database, he was able to find the right candidates in a few weeks.
Is there a possibility? Death Stalker, one of the most dangerous scorpions on the planet.Leiurus Quinquestriatus).
On its own, peptides Chlorotoxin cy5.5 It was already discovered It binds to ion channels in brain tumor cells, Not normal human cells. Lab-made version, created by Tozuleristide A kind of light-up “Paint” In near-infrared, which researchers allowed to consider cancerous clusters as small Hundreds of cells In rodent research.
From GLP-1 agonists to chemotherapy treatments, it is incredible that toxic potions brewed by the animal kingdom can be used to improve and save human lives. And the humble reminder that the answer to our problems may be in unexpected places, if we are willing to look further away, and of course, by the time we get there, If the species and their habitat still exist.
