A team of researchers has just solved the mystery of the venom of the coral snake, a particularly venomous reptile from Costa Rica. A discovery that may have repercussions on human health because the researchers discovered that the toxin of this venom was involved in the same mechanisms as epilepsy or schizophrenia.
“What we have found is the first known animal toxin (called MmTX), and by far the most potent, that targets GABA(A) receptors, the nerve cells responsible for epilepsy,” says Dr. Frank Bosmans, one of the co-authors of this discovery.
In mammals, GABA(A) receptors are very important, as they play an indispensable role in the communication between the brain and the spinal cord. Epilepsy, schizophrenia and chronic pain are three pathologies caused by a dysfunction of these receptors. Dr. Bosmans and his team therefore plan to use the venom of the coral snake as a tool, to better understand how the receptors work and to discover which dysfunction can cause epilepsy or schizophrenia.
This is not the first time that researchers use snake venom to develop treatments. Recently, French researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology in Nice discovered that the venom of the black mamba, one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa, contains painkilling proteins identical to those of morphine. This discovery could lead to the development of a new analgesic with fewer side effects.
Read also :
Infographic: 600,000 epileptics in France
Cannabis may reduce epileptic seizures
