4. The Lancehead Snake - Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
The lancehead snake (Bothrops atrox) is an infamous danger in the tropical areas of Central and South America where it comes from. It is sometimes called by the name fer-de-lance, which actually covers several closely related Bothrops species, many of which are very deadly. The Bothrops species are named in 90 per cent of all snake bites from South America, and are responsible for more deaths than any other group. However, the venom has also saved lives. Batroxobin, derived from a venomous compound, acts directly our bodys coagulation cascade to induce clotting. Because of this unique feature, doctors and scientists can use it to gain better insights into the blood of a patient, particularly if theres something going wrong with how it clots. Batroxobin isnt approved clinically in the US, but is used in research. Outside of the US (largely in China), batroxobin is used to treat a range of disorders, including stroke, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction and perioperative bleeding. Another derived compound, Captopril, treats high blood pressure by lowering blood pressure. It causes blood vessels to dilate and blood pressure to lower. The chemical structure of the natural compound in the venom had to be modified to make it safe to use as a drug.
