Common Blood-Thinning Drug Neutralises Cobra Venom, Says Scientist

Scientists discover potential antidotes in widely available medications, offering hope for an affordable and broader snakebite treatment.

An international team of scientists unexpectedly discovered heparin, a drug that is usually used to thin blood, could be an effective alternate against the venomous effect of the cobra. This drug could be used to treat snakebites, especially in areas where antivenoms are not easily available.

Necrosis is an ability to cause rapid tissue damage that is very dangerous and could lead to severe disability or even death. The existing antivenoms are often ineffective, leaving the victims with long-term harm. The new study, led by researchers from Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, and the UK, suggests that heparin can neutralize the toxins responsible for necrosis in some species of spitting cobras.

"This discovery has the potential to significantly reduce the tragic consequences of cobra bites," stated Prof. Greg Neely from the University of Sydney, senior study author. "Heparin, being both affordable and widely available, could provide a versatile solution to counteract venomous snakebites across different regions," he added.

The next important step in confirming heparin's effectiveness as a snakebite treatment is human testing. If effective, researchers believe this strategy might swiftly become a mainstay in international efforts to reduce snakebite-related injuries and deaths, especially in low-resource environments where snakebites are most common.

Snakebites take thousands of lives a year, especially in rural areas of Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The necessity of heparin represents a promising development in global health efforts to tackle neglected tropical diseases and enhance medical care accessibility worldwide.