Heparin: A New Antidote for Cobra Bites
Heparin: A New Antidote for Cobra Bites
Daniela Hrizo, 8/6/24
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Background on Snake Bites
Snake bites are considered either dry bites or venomous bites. Dry bites typically come from nonvenomous snakes and occur when the snake doesn’t release any venom as they bite. Dry bites are usually not lethal but should be treated immediately nonetheless. Venomous bites, as implied, come from venomous snakes when they release venom in their bite. These bites are much more lethal.
50-70% of venomous bites lead to envenoming - a life-threatening disease that can cause severe paralysis that may further result in tissue damage, kidney failure, and more. In 31% of cases, snake bite victims suffer from necrosis, also known as the death of body tissue, which may lead to amputation and loss of limbs. Unfortunately, current antivenoms fail to consistently prevent necrosis and are expensive.
About the Discovery
Scientists at the University of Sydney and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine used CRISPR technology to find that heparin, a common blood thinner, can be repurposed as a cobra venom antidote. CRISPR technology is used in gene editing (modifying a living organism’s DNA). It can evaluate the genes involved in cellular processes and thus study the effectiveness of drugs to prevent them.
In this specific situation, CRISPR technology was used to find the human genes that were targeted by the venom and eventually lead to the development of necrosis. They found that cobra venom can bind to heparin. With this information, scientists discovered that they could use heparin as a decoy antidote that would bind to the cobra venom, thus blocking the venom from the body and effectively preventing necrosis.
Importance
The fact that heparin can be used as a snake bite antidote is a crucial discovery. This is because heparin is a considerably cheap drug compared to antivenoms. Heparin costs between $20-$350 per dose whereas antivenoms cost thousands of dollars. Overall, heparin has proven to be a cheap, safe, and effective drug.
Snake bites are one of the most neglected tropical diseases, especially in rural and low-income areas. Snake bites kill over 100,000 people per year and have a chronic impact on 400,000 more (e.g. amputation). The World Health Organization announced a goal to reduce the global burden of snake bites by 50% by 2030 and listed it as a priority. This newfound discovery with heparin can help accomplish this goal. It is important that cobra bite antidotes are available and affordable including less-developed areas like India and parts of Africa where snake bites and casualties are more common.
Heparin seems to be a promising solution for the global burden of snake bites, and professionals are optimistic that this discovery will save may lives.
References
The University of Sydney: New antidote for cobra bites discovered using CRISPR technology
Technology Networks: CRISPR Identifies Common Blood Thinner as Snake Venom Antidote
Forbes: Blood Thinner May Be New Cheap Antidote For Snake Bites, Study Suggests
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