Archives of The Cold Blooded News

The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society

Volume 32, Number 4;   April, 2005

Pit Vipers: Friend or Foe?

by Stan Lake

For most people, just the mention of snakes or reptiles brings a sense of primitive fear to their minds-a fear of what they don't understand and a general disgust for things that they have been raised to hate. What if I told you that the snakes that you have come to fear, and often kill, could one day save your life or someone's life that you love?

In recent years much research has been done on the venoms of snakes for the sake of cancer medication and other possible cures for different diseases. The most feared of the reptiles, the venomous snakes, could actually hold the keys to cure cancer, and yet most people would just as soon kill them upon contact. Wouldn't it disgust you if the snake you killed maliciously in your car held the answers and cures to diseases that you yourself may be suffering from?

The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a very common pit viper in North Carolina and is very beneficial to our local ecosystems. One benefit of these snakes is the fact that they eat pests such as mice and rats, which cause far more problems and diseases than do snakes. The venom of the southern copperhead is currently being used for research in cures for cancer, and more precisely, breast cancer.

In December of 2000, scientists in San Francisco identified a protein within the venom of the southern copperhead that prevented cancer cells from spreading. The researchers isolated and purified the protein that they aptly named contortrostatin (from the copperhead's Latin species name, contortrix). The scientists tested the purified strain of protein from the venom on different types of cancer (in test mice), ranging from breast cancer to ovarian cancer to brain cancer (Cancer Facts, p.1).

Dr. Francis S. Markland of the University of Southern California says that the protein acts on the surface of the cancer cells and disrupts the cells' structure. The protein also acts to immobilize the cell and inhibits its movement, thus decreasing its ability to spread to other areas of the body. The researchers also discovered that the protein from copperhead venom stopped breast and ovarian tumors from growing because the tumors could not generate the blood vessels required for continual growth. Although this cancer treatment is still in an experimental phase, it shows much promise to prolong the lives of people afflicted with this disease (BBC News 1, p.1).

Another use of snake venom is in the treatment of stroke victims. A lot of research is being conducted on the venom of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake. This is another snake indigenous to North Carolina; however, this species has suffered a drastic decline due to human encroachment and habitat loss. There are only a few pockets of habitat left in the southernmost parts of our state. I only add this part about their decline to illustrate the urgency of conservation of this species and education about its benefit to humans.

The experimental drug Ancrod lowers the levels of a clotting substance in the blood and may be able to reverse the effects of stroke. This medicine, derived from rattlesnake venom, can also protect against future strokes and is less likely to cause internal bleeding than the current clot-bursting drugs, claim the researchers. A study with 500 stroke patients was conducted, and 42% of the patients tested regained their physical and mental abilities within three hours of treatment. The reasoning behind using rattlesnake venom for stroke research is simple; their hematoxic venom causes human blood to fail to clot. Now this potentially deadly substance in the venom has been removed and used as an anticoagulant. This drug has yet to be approved by the FDA, but many researchers believe that it will be in the not-so-distant future. Professor David Sherman, from the University of Texas, says: "What I envision if Ancrod is approved is that the physician would have the option of using either TPA (current drug used for strokes administered in one hour-long shot) or Ancrod based on what would be best for that particular patient." (BBC News 2, p.1-2).

The FDA has, however, already approved one rattlesnake-derived drug called Integrillin. This drug is used to treat people suffering from chest pains or unstable angina, and from "small" heart attacks. A study was done on this medication in 27 different countries, on 10,948 patients, and it was shown to cut the risk of heart attacks or death by 1.5% worldwide (BBC News 1, p.2-3)

Around the world, snake venoms are being tested for potential cures for many diseases. The enzymes in cobra venom have been shown to hold the key for curing Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Some viper venoms have shown promise to cure osteoporosis and also to promote tumor reduction. The venom of some snakes has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and that of others, like the red-necked spitting cobra, has been shown to provide treatment for leukemia and other cancers. The copperheads and rattlesnakes that are in or around your hometown have shown promise to cure many forms of cancers, heart disease, and stroke (Ferrer, p.3).

This being said, I want to clarify that snakes offer us much more than what most people give them credit for. If you don't take anything else from this, please remember that even the things you fear most could one day save your life or the life of a loved one. Snakes are not out to get anyone and will keep to themselves if left alone. We must appreciate them for their beauty and scientific value and try to keep them alive. The cures for the diseases of tomorrow are held within the nature that we are so intent on destroying today.

Works Cited:
BBC News 1. Health: Scientists Target Breast Cancer with Snake Venom. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/159054.stm. 2/24/2004. 3 pages.
BBC News 2. Health: Snake Venom Could Cure Stroke. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/272378.stm. 2/24/2004. 3 pages.
Cancer Facts. Protein in Snake Venom is Anticancer Agent. http://www.cancerfacts.com/Home_News.asp?cancerTypeld=4&CB=&Newsld=1. 2 pages.
Ferrer, Ed. Snake venom: The pain and potential of poison. The Cold Blooded News: The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society 28{3}. March 2001. http://coloherp.org/cb-news/vol-28/cbn-0103/venom.html. 2/24/2004. 3 pages.
Marwick, Charles. Nature's Agents Help Real Humans-Some Now Take Steps to Reciprocate. JAMA. Chicago: June 3, 1998. Vol. 279,lss. 21; p.1679. 3 pages.