Snail venom—a new way to cure chronic pain?

A team of US scientists has found snail venom to be effective against chronic, severe pain.

Small snails use the venom to hunt their preys—killing or paralysing the victims. University of Utah scientists found that the venom also contains a compound which can provide pain relief for a considerable period.

Conventional medicines work by reducing the perception of pain. The Rg1A compound found in the venom of a Conus regius snail, a native of the Caribbean, works differently than these painkillers.

The compound was found to affect the nervous system, helping cure the pain. According to the scientists, who wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this could lead to new treatments in the area.

The treatment was also tested on rats and was found to be effective for three days.