Treatment of joints with snake venom. Snake venoms: how they work and is it possible to escape

A very common remedy used in the treatment of diseases and the musculoskeletal system. V. V. Korpachev in his book “Healing Fauna” writes: “If a European knows that snake venoms are useful in certain diseases, then a doctor practicing in the East can tell you in which cases it is necessary to give the patient the blood of a snake, in which - bile, and when - tincture on. The secret of making tinctures is that they use combinations of venomous and non-venomous snakes: - like our compositions from medicinal herbs. Such tinctures are sold in pharmacies.

In the treatment of such as, myositis, myalgia, are often used medical preparations containing snake venom. These drugs include vipraksin, viperalgin, cobrotoxin, as well as ointments: vipratox, viprasal, vipdetox, viprazide containing the venoms of various snakes.

General information about poison

Snake venom (hereinafter referred to as "Z. I") is a poisonous secretion salivary glands some types of snakes. Z. i. - sparse colorless, straw-yellow or greenish liquid; consists of, globulins, enzymes, water, salts, etc. In dry form, it is stored up to 23 years.

The properties of different snakes are not the same: viper venom contains hemorrhage, which causes hemorrhages, cobra venom is rich in neurotoxin, which affects nervous system. Therefore, the consequences of different snakes manifest themselves in different ways. When bitten by a viper - pain, swelling in the area of the bite, hemorrhages of the skin with the formation of blisters (sometimes with tissue necrosis); a cobra bite causes palpitations, dizziness, nausea, sometimes vomiting, death occurs from paralysis of the respiratory center. The venom of the cobra, muzzle and rattlesnake has an anticoagulant effect on the blood, the venom of the viper has a coagulating effect. In the USSR, there were 14 species of poisonous snakes: cobra, gyurza, sandy efa, muzzle, vipers - ordinary, sandy, Kaznakov, Armenian and others.

Prevention of snake bites: wearing high shoes, exercise caution while hiking, field work etc. snake venoms spreads extremely quickly in the body of the victim, therefore the imposition of a tight constriction above the bite site, incisions, and cauterization are not only pointless, but also harmful.

First aid for a snake bite: complete immobility of the bitten limb, splinting on it, plentiful drink( , water). Most effective remedy- specific anti-snake serum, which is prepared from Z. I. Small doses Z. I. used for medicinal purposes: Russell's viper venom - for plugging bleeding gums in patients after removal; cobra venom - as an analgesic; rattlesnake and cobra venom - for the treatment of epilepsy,

Such a combination of words as “snake venom” causes far from the most pleasant associations in people. And this is quite logical, because this product of snake life often leads not only to a significant deterioration human health but sometimes even fatal.

But the above changes functional state organism occurs only in natural vivo in a situation where a person was bitten by a snake. However, people who care about their health, as well as fashionistas, are firmly convinced (and not unreasonably) that snake venom is applicable in the entire spectrum of life spheres.

For example, in medicine and cosmetology, this natural component has long been adopted, and drugs that can help people began to be created on its basis. A little lower, some options for using snake venom, the properties of this substance, if it helps people, as well as situations in which this poison should beware, will be considered.

Snake venom is a product of the functioning of specific poisonous glands, in this case, modified salivary glands located in the head of the snake, and more specifically, behind the eyes. A toxic substance is injected into the body of the victim when bitten, getting through the poisonous teeth along with saliva.

Even in meager doses, this poisonous substance is potent and has a pronounced effect on the body, acting starting from organs that are important for life. This substance is one of those few that have no artificial analogues.

Of the almost six dozen species of snakes found in the vastness of Belarus and the Russian Federation, only eleven are potentially dangerous, that is, poisonous.

The structure of snake venom can vary, depending on the species of reptile. However, the list of main active substances is relatively stable. These include: molecules that can contain more than a dozen amino acids of different orders, that is, polypeptides, as well as trace elements, proteins complex type and enzymes.

The structure of the venom may be due to the production or presence of certain types amino acids and proteins in the snake body. Specific impact snake glandular secretion human body and became the basis for the reproduction of many medications, as well as cosmetic products.

There are two types of snake venom, which are fundamentally different in terms of their effect on the human body:

a toxic substance of hemocoagulation, hemorrhagic and necrotizing effects, acting in the form of high-molecular proteins present in the venom of muzzle and vipers, disrupts the functioning of the circulatory system, contributes to the appearance of edema at the site of the bite and causes tissue necrosis;
poison, which includes both cardio- and neurotropic toxins, can be found in sea snakes, cobras and asps, whose iron secret produces its inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular and nervous system.

It should be remembered that many substances are actually capable of doing a good service to a person, but only under the condition of exploitation and skillful hands and snakes in equal volumes.

Snake iron secret in medical practice in pure form not applicable: mainly diluted solution containing preservatives, glycerin, stabilizers and other necessary components is used.

The positive effect of the use of snake venom is due to its main properties: the ability to influence the nervous system, as well as the local call skin reaction. This toxic substance can be used both in the form of creams and injections, and ointments.

The five main characteristics of the medicinal properties of snake venom are described below:

Can be used on their own or as part of medical complexes, for the treatment of processes in the chronicle of the nervous system and the spine. Relieve pain syndrome acute form osteochondrosis, polyarthritis and rheumatic articular lesions. Promotes the absorption of medications that have an anti-inflammatory effect, contributing to the deepest penetration of local tissue physiotherapy methods.
ongoing innovative research in the field of the effectiveness of therapy with this substance led to the development of therapeutic methods that eliminate the effects of diabetes mellitus and oncological diseases with the help of snake venom, which is able to restrain the development and growth of cancer cells.
The poison of this species of animal, being part of ointments for medical purposes, helps to relieve inflammation, and neurotropic toxins act as a local anesthetic. That is, this substance is applicable for stopping the pain syndrome, increasing blood flow in the place that was affected, relieving inflammation in the area therapeutic use. Due to the properties described above, the healing process has a much higher speed than with the usual drug treatment, at joint inflammation, muscular, some types skin diseases, neuralgia.
Also, this toxic substance is applicable in the field of medicine and in emergency situations: it has become the basis for the discovery of a serum that can neutralize viper venom after a bite. If the patient turned to a medical institution in a timely manner, doctors, without any special efforts, manage to save this person's life, avoiding all sorts of health complications in the foreseeable future.
Scientists have also proven the effect of the mucous secretion of snakes on the blood, depending on the size of the dosage: it can either help the blood to clot or thin it.

Due to the occurrence of all kinds of side effects, any remedy containing snake venom should be prescribed only by a specialist. Without a preliminary examination and consultation with the attending physician, such an ointment or cream should not be applicable!

Treatment with snake venom in medical circles has two equally used names - “snake therapy” and poison therapy, and has been applicable since time immemorial. Since our ancestors believed in the ability of the snake to resurrect the dead and help with emerging infertility.

Also, this substance is widely applicable to improve the immune system of the human body, hair growth with complete baldness, tuberculosis, relief of asthma, bronchial attacks.

Despite the fact that most of the myths have been debunked a long time ago, science is still conducting a lot of research into the mechanisms of action of these types of substances on individual bodies and organ systems contained in the human body.

The most incredible experiments with original means are used by people who want to stay forever young to prolong their visual youth. A toxic substance from the special glands of the reptile also took its place in this niche.

This type of poison is exploited in cosmetology as a remedy similar in effect to Botox, that is, created to combat wrinkles. In fact, the above 2 drugs are not analogues, although the result of their use is quite similar.

At the site of application, snake venom smoothes mimic wrinkles. If you use a variety of means, which include this species poison, then age-related changes in a certain number of cases can be reduced by half, subject to a long period of use.

Cosmetic cream preparations containing this component are also used:

in the form of tincture as a means to increase potency - in the East;
in massage salons for the skin;
to improve hair growth as one of the ingredients in the shampoo.

Symptoms of the effects of snake venom on the human body

After a snake bite, many diverse processes take place in the body, the clinical picture varies depending on the place where it was bitten, the type of reptile and many other factors that cannot be listed.

The local reaction develops rapidly immediately after the bite of the muzzle or viper, and manifests itself in the form of a change in the color of the skin cover, pain and tissue edema. Sometimes, in the most severe cases, edema can spread quickly to the whole body.
In the first three quarters of an hour, shock symptoms are likely to occur, manifested in the form of dizziness, tachycardia, fainting, pallor of the skin, nausea and weakness.
The effect of snake venom on the blood is manifested in the following indicators: there is a violation of the functioning of the entire system of blood coagulation, then development occurs DIC syndrome, which is characterized as a state of the circulatory system of the most severe degree, which leads to a deterioration in the functioning of all organ systems in the human body.
Complications in the hepatic function, cardiac and renal, as well as gangrene of the hand and foot fingers, tissue necrosis begins to develop a little later.
The local reaction after a cobra bite is not particularly significant: the edema is small, the bite becomes numb, and the color of the skin does not change.
A quarter of an hour after the injection of snake venom into the human body, saliva flow, impaired coordination of movements and speech, weakness, vomiting, muscle paralysis and asphyxia occur.

First aid rules for snakebite

ensuring complete rest and immediate delivery to the hospital of the victim;
suction or squeezing out poisonous drops in the first ten minutes after the bite. For places that are hard to reach during self-suction, it is possible to use a plastic syringe with a cut-off spout;
complete exclusion of alcohol-containing products, plentiful warm drinking is prescribed to the victim;
the prohibition of applying a tourniquet to the affected limb, because in this case it is possible to accelerate the process of intoxication.

So what kind of snake venom is dangerous or useful? It's all pretty situational.

With the appointment of inadequate and improper use, any, even the most effective, good medication or expensive cream can become toxic. For this reason, before using any remedy, you should find out the most accurate information about it from specialists, and also use them only as directed by your doctor.

The snake has always served as a symbol of healing art. People have long known that snake venom has not only killing, but also healing properties. Therefore, since ancient times, people have tried to use poison for their own purposes. Previously, poisonous snakes were used whole, without first depriving them of their poison. The snake was cut into small pieces and dipped into a special liquid. It was believed that the snake should transfer the healing properties of its poison to the liquid in which it is located.

Snakes are among the most poisonous life forms on our planet. Even a small amount of snake venom is enough to kill a person. But any poison, diluted in appropriate proportions, becomes an effective medicine. Knowing this, a person has achieved that snake venom is considered a serious medical preparation that helps with many diseases and from which new strength can be drawn.

Currently, snake venom and preparations from it are in increasing demand on the international market. Snake venom is more valuable than gold.

Composition of snake venom

Snake venom is very complex in its chemical composition. It is known that it contains proteins, enzymes and fractions of substances involved in blood coagulation. Many substances contained in snake venom affect musculature, skeletal structure, heart function, and increase the movement of white blood cells.

The main chemical constituents of snake venom are proteins, amino acids, fatty acid, enzymes (hydrolases, proteases, nucleases, phosphonucleases, catalases, oxidases), trace elements.

Due to the complex and not yet fully understood chemical composition of snake venom, as well as the presence of enzymes deadly to humans, snake venom is used as a medicine only in processed form. Snake venoms are different. For example, cobra venom has the ability to relieve pain and spasms. At the same time, unlike morphine, it does not lead to the development of drug addiction. Preparations from the poisons of the gyurza and the Indian viper help the blood to clot quickly, even with hemophilia. The Malayan viper, on the contrary, became famous for the fact that after its bite, human blood loses its ability to clot for three whole weeks. There is hope that the venom of the Malayan viper will allow doctors to develop an effective means of combating thrombosis - blood clots, which clog and constrict blood vessels in sick people.

The use of snake venom

The use of poison therapy is effective in diseases such as allergies, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, tick in the legs, condition after a stroke, gastrointestinal diseases(intestinal diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), rheumatism, neurodermatitis, metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus and fat metabolism disorders), potency disorders, painful symptoms during the menopause.

In the 19th century, rattlesnake venom was tried to treat leprosy, but it is believed that it was rather exotic.

It is known that many of those who suffer from sciatica are helped to get rid of pain by Vipra-tox ointment or an injection of Vipraksin. Preparations are prepared from the poisons of the steppe and common vipers. It is believed that ointment from viper poison is more effective. Today, more than thirty species of snake venoms are used in medicine.

Poisons also help treat diseases such as bronchial asthma and hypertension, sciatica, and intercostal neuralgia. This therapy can help people suffering from various chronic diseases. In addition, snake venom successfully copes with diseases of the musculoskeletal system: osteochondrosis, polyarthritis, various consequences injuries.

"Snake therapy" consists in taking courses of highly diluted snake venom. Due to the fact that it is highly diluted, the danger of poisoning and unwanted side effects. Treatment with snake venom is usually a highly extended period of time. valid form therapy. Depending on the disease, therapy can be carried out either inpatient or outpatient. Treatment can only be started after consultation with a doctor and a comprehensive diagnosis of the patient, after which a joint plan therapy.

One of the most important incentives for the use of snake venom in the preparation of medicines is the creation of an antidote, anti-snake sera. And this is really necessary, since the number of people bitten by poisonous snakes every year is very high. Anti-snake sera are obtained from the blood of horses that are injected with increasing doses of venom over a period of 16 months. During similar procedure immunity is established and an immunized horse can tolerate an injection of 80 times the lethal dose.

However, it should not be forgotten that contraindications to injection use snake venom preparations are febrile conditions, pulmonary tuberculosis, heart defects, cerebral and coronary circulation, organic lesions liver, kidneys. Also, snake venom preparations are not prescribed to pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as to persons who are allergic to them.

About the benefits of snake venom

Many people associate a snake with a deadly bite. But snake venom can not only kill, but heal and benefit health. Indeed, since ancient times, the snake emblem has been considered a symbol of medicine. For many centuries, man has studied and developed methods of treatment with snake venom.

Many centuries ago, people took poison in its pure form in small portions. Daily intake developed resistance to poisoning in the body. Over time, technologies began to be developed with the addition of snake venom to dosage forms.

Ointment based on snake venom has analgesic and hemostatic properties. Ointment lubricates sore spots with muscle and articular rheumatism, with purulent ulcers, sciatica and many other painful diseases.

AT modern medicine drugs with snake venom are popular in cosmetology. Creams with the addition of poison give a rejuvenating effect on the skin. When applying the cream, relax nerve impulses on the muscles, which helps to smooth out wrinkles. The skin becomes soft and supple.

Poison therapy also helps with cardiovascular diseases, treats bronchial asthma and gastrointestinal tract. With its help, you can improve the condition after a stroke, achieve positive effect with sclerosis and diabetes. Water solution injected from snake venom intramuscular injection gradually increasing and then decreasing the dose.

Modern research has shown that substances contained in snake venom can inhibit growth malignant tumors. Scientists are developing a formula, thanks to which oncological diseases cease to be a fatal disease. Today, oncology uses medications based on snake venom as an anesthetic. They have the power of morphine, but unlike the famous drug, the action of snake venom reduces pain for a longer period.

Treatment with snake venom - long and long process. In most cases, it is carried out permanently under the supervision of a doctor. Medicines containing snake venom can cause vomiting, fever, burning and itching of the skin.

Therapy is contraindicated in people with chronic kidney and liver diseases, pregnant women, tuberculosis and suffering from mental illness.

snake venom at correct application will help to improve the body and cure many diseases.

Due to the complexity chemical composition snake venom, this stage development of science the only possible way production of preparations from poison remains its collection directly from snakes, that is, mankind has not yet learned how to obtain analogues of snake venom by chemical means. This is connected with the construction of new nurseries and the expansion of existing ones.

Keeping snakes is a serious business. Serpents need good food, certain temperature and humidity, few poisonous snakes breed in captivity. In some countries they act differently: there are special snake catchers who go to the steppes and deserts at certain times of the year. After catching the snakes, the poison is taken from them, and then they are released back into the wild. For "milking" snakes use a special glass, on which thin rubber is stretched. The snake is taken by the head and allowed to cling to the rubber cover. Poisonous teeth easily bite through it and the poison flows into the container.

In serpentaria, venom from snakes is collected once every 2-3 weeks. From small snakes they receive 20-40 mg of poison (in dry weight), from large snakes - 500-900 mg per poisoning (for example, 300 mg - from gyurza, 194 - from cobra, 137 - from muzzle, 50 - from efa, 30 mg - from Renard's viper). The poison is obtained by mechanical "milking" - massage of the poisonous glands or with the help of an electric current. In the latter case, the snakes touch the oral mucosa with electrodes with a voltage of 5-8 V, which causes a spasm of the gland and a complete release of the poison.

Snake venom may help treat cancer and diabetes

Scientists have discovered that the toxins in snake venom could be the basis of new cutting-edge drugs that can fight serious diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

Although snake venom contains components that are fatal to warm-blooded animals, they dangerous properties can change. Experts are sure that toxins will have effective application in neurology, hematology, rheumatology and many other disciplines of modern medicine.

Leading British scientists have discovered that the toxins contained in the venom of snakes and some lizards can be converted into safe molecules, which open up wide prospects for use in pharmacology.

Dr. Nicholas Caswell of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine explains the complex chemistry of venoms this way: “The evolution of venoms is a very complex process. others are assigned additional tasks."

Toxins and their derivatives have been of great interest to scientists for many centuries. However, their deadly qualities have always set their limits. Developers medicines had to first learn how to modify toxins without diminishing their effectiveness. Now, however, scientists have found that non-toxic versions of various venom components can exist in snakes. Until recently, it was believed that the synthesis of poison in the body of a snake is a one-way process, but now this opinion is being proven wrong.

Researchers from the National University of Australia, Bangor University, and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine examined the gene sequences in the Burmese python and garter snake (the results were published in Nature Communications). They were able to build an evolutionary tree showing the relationship between different chemical processes in the snake's body, including the production of venom.

As one of the co-authors of the publication, Dr. Wolfgang Wooster of Bangor University, explains, “Many snake venom toxins are involved in the same physiological mechanisms, which are an object of interest for physicians. We need to find out exactly how the toxins in the snake's body are converted into harmless protein compounds, and by understanding this, we can find new ways to create drugs for humans."

snake massage

Imagine, you come for a massage, and instead of a massage therapist you are met by a real bastard. No, it's not that the massage therapist - bad person, he is not a man at all, but a snake. More like a bunch of snakes. Think this is the plot of a horror movie? No, this is a novelty of the SPA industry. The pioneer of snake therapy was Ada Barak, the owner of a spa salon from Israel. This procedure is popular there. For 70 dollars you can improve your health and join the exotic.

The idea of reptiliotherapy is not new. It has long been noticed that after physical contact with a snake, people become more relaxed.

Up to 6 different types of snakes are usually used for massage. Of course, they are all non-poisonous. The snakes intertwined in a ball are placed on the human body. The snakes begin to crawl in all directions, causing incomparable sensations.

Each reptile "masseur" has its own specialization. Smaller snakes improve blood flow and relaxation, while their larger counterparts have a deeper effect. They relieve muscle and joint pain.

Not everyone is able to decide on such a procedure. It is better for people suffering from herpetophobia (fear of snakes) not to tempt fate and go to an ordinary massage therapist, but lovers thrill This massage is sure to please. By the way, snake massage has no contraindications.

Recently, such a salon appeared in Moscow. It already has its regular visitors. Many clients even single out their favorites among the "masseurs".

The cost of one procedure in Moscow is 3,000 rubles.

When evaluating the effect of snake venom, one should especially remember all the circumstances that affect its strength.

Therefore, it is possible to depict a picture of a person being poisoned by a poisonous snake only in in general terms. One cannot, of course, think that every case of a snake bite will proceed exactly as it will now be told. The features and nature of the disease caused by snake venom essentially depend on two main conditions: 1) on the amount of poison introduced into the human body and 2) on the way in which the poison entered it. The venom of various poisonous snakes is not the same in the nature of its action, therefore we will only touch here on the most important snakes for us - the viper, as well as the spectacled snake and the muzzle found in the southern borders of Russia.

When bitten by a viper, the wound looks like two small circles - the place where its poisonous teeth stuck, and two parallel rows of points - bite marks with small non-poisonous teeth. Soon after the poison enters the wound, its circumference becomes inflamed - it turns red and swells. The patient feels very severe pain. Edema from the site of injury extends to the entire bitten limb and, in severe cases, can even pass to the body. On the 7-9th day after the bite, the swelling decreases. The tissue around the wound may become necrotic and disintegrate to form an ulcer.

Such a local action depends on the direct effect of the poison on the tissues of the body; it is especially strong in poisoning with viper venom; however, in addition to it, there is also common disease, depending on the spread of poison with blood throughout the body. The patient shows drowsiness, faints or. on the contrary, it becomes excited. Nausea is replaced by vomiting. Pain in the pit of the stomach and convulsions aggravate the situation of the poisoned. The heart beats faster and weaker. The person gets colder, and the temperature of his body goes down. Shortness of breath begins; blood appears in the urine.

If non-fatal poisoning occurs, then the heart begins to beat more correctly and stronger; cooling of the body is replaced by its warming; the tumor subsides, but weakness remains for a significant period of time - 2-3 months or more.

In severe cases, death occurs from respiratory arrest different term, from 12 hours to 7-8 days. Sometimes the effects of non-fatal poisoning become long lasting or are said to be chronic. The patient remains weak for a very long time and retains the sensitivity of the bite site, or, conversely, recovers, but, after a certain period of time, suddenly falls ill again. To chronic consequences Viper poisoning also applies to blindness, which, fortunately, is very rare in such cases.

For the venom of vipers and snakes close to them, the strength is especially characteristic. local action poison that kills body tissues at the site of the bite and causing swelling bitten limb. Some snakes of warm countries in this respect influence much more strongly than our viper. In Brazil, for example, quite reliable cases are known when, after being bitten by a snake, a Lachesis became dead and the foot fell off, while another unfortunate person, bitten on the elbow, fell off his hand, and only the bones of his skeleton remained from the forearm.

The strength of snake venom, however, is not always the same. After the snake sheds its venom from its skin ( we are talking about a spectacled snake) becomes 10 times stronger than before molting.

The spectacled snake poisons a person with other painful phenomena. Unlike the viper, it causes insignificant local phenomena; swelling appears around the wound, sometimes an abscess develops; acute pain the patient does not feel. There is a coldness of the bitten part of the body, fatigue, irresistible drowsiness; then comes the weakening of consciousness and difficulty breathing; the activity of the heart is weakened; saliva flows from the mouth, the tongue is inflamed; the patient hiccups; then vomiting begins; involuntarily excreted urine and stools; consciousness is lost completely and after 2-7 hours of illness death occurs.

With non-fatal poisoning, the disease is not accompanied by such severe manifestations, and after a day or two the patient recovers after the poison is removed by the kidneys, without violating the correctness of their action. The venom of a spectacled snake, in contrast to the viper, is characterized by an insignificant effect on the tissues of the body at the site of the bite, and vice versa, a strong one. overall impact on the organism, as a result of which death occurs so quickly.

There are, on the contrary, such snakes as the magnificently colored coral snake, whose venom does not affect locally at all, but the stronger it acts on the whole body in general, through which it spreads very quickly, since it is unusually easily absorbed from the wound into the blood.

The unevenness of the effect of snake venom on a person in various cases of poisoning by it depends on all the reasons that were indicated in the first chapter of this book. Consider some of them in relation to snakes in more detail. The strength of snake venom is not always the same. So, for example, the venom of a spectacle snake after shedding along its skin becomes 10 times stronger than before molting. Fasting also affects; after a plentiful meal, it acquires even more dangerous properties than during a hunger strike. If a snake bites several times in a row, then it wastes its poison, and subsequent bites are less dangerous, since the poison is produced relatively slowly in its poisonous glands. By artificial means you can squeeze out all the poison that the snake has. She again receives his former amount in warm time year for 15 days, and in the cold - only for a period of about a month.

The course of poisoning depends on the place where the snake bite is made. If a part of the body is injured, where a lot of branches blood vessels, then the poison is quickly absorbed into the blood, which is reflected in the rate of poisoning. If a snake accidentally bites through some more or less large blood vessel (mainly a vein), then poisoning can occur with lightning speed, since all the injected poison enters directly into the blood, which immediately coagulates from its presence.

The action of the poison on various animals is even more varied. Animals with poorer circulation, whose blood circulates through the body more slowly than others, endure large quantities snake venom. Such more resistant animals include, for example, frogs, which are distinguished by another advantageous feature of their organization. They breathe not only with their lungs, but also with the entire surface of the skin, and such skin breathing is more important for them than pulmonary breathing. Snake venom, as mentioned above, disrupts the functioning of the lungs, stopping respiratory movements them; since the frog's skin respiration does not stop, it continues to live at the expense of him alone; the poison is eventually removed from the body by the kidneys, and the animal has the ability to endure the time of poisoning even with idle lungs. In numbers, the resistance of a frog to snake venom can be expressed by such an example. A dose of poison that kills (when administered subcutaneously) a rabbit in 10 minutes allowed the frog to live 30 hours.

Few animals have such advantageous features of their body organs. Lizards and birds quickly die from the action of snake venom. The duration of suffocation before death in birds is longer than in other animals, since under the skin of the former there are extensive air sacs that communicate with their lungs. These bags contain air, which for some time supports the bird's body in its fight against death. Most mammals are also very sensitive to snake venom, with the exception of the hedgehog, the pharaoh mouse, and some of the other animals mentioned above in the chapter on snake enemies.

It has been experimentally established that the amount of rattlesnake (crotal) poison that kills 10 snakes poisons 24 dogs, or 25 bulls, or 60 horses, or 60 rabbits, or 300,000 pigeons to death. In this example, it is not immediately possible to be convinced of the degree of difference in the effect of the poison on certain animals, since their weight is far from being the same. In the very first chapter of this book, it was indicated that the smaller the weight of the animal, the stronger, all other things being equal, a given amount of poison acts on it. Therefore, more illustrative values are given by determining the amount of poison that kills a certain weight unit of any animal, for example, 1 kilo of its weight. Knowing such a dose of poison, one can calculate how much poison is required to kill an animal that is larger in weight. For example, if it is said that the lethal dose of poison for 1 kilogram (2 1/2 pounds) of a rabbit is 0.012 grams, this means that to fatally poison this animal of 3 kilograms in weight, 3 times more poison will be required, i.e. 0.036 grams , and for a rabbit in b kilograms, the same dose will be equal to 0.060 grams.

It is most convenient to judge the difference in the action of poison on animals by such lethal doses for each kilogram of their body weight. So, for 1 kilogram of dog body weight lethal dose are 0.0008 grams of cobra venom, and for a rabbit 0.0005. Comparing these figures, we can say that this poison for a rabbit is almost twice as poisonous as for a dog.

All these slightly boring examples and reasonings allow us to come to a reasonable conclusion that different animals are not equally sensitive to snake venom; some are resistant to it, or are said to be immune to the poison. This property of animals is especially valuable, since it made it possible to develop expedient methods for treating poisoning with snake venom, to which we will proceed, having first familiarized ourselves with some of the properties of the latter.

Snake venom is ancient traditional remedy treatment of various diseases, despite the fact that a small amount of this substance is enough to cause death. However, if the poison is taken in appropriate proportions, many diseases can be cured. Worldwide, traditional medicine and homeopathy have long used preparations containing this component.

Since ancient times, people have known that snake venom not only kills, but also leads to recovery.

Compound

Snake venom has a very complex composition and varies depending on the type of reptile. It mainly contains proteins, acids, amino acids, a whole range of various enzymes and trace elements. For this reason, researchers are studying the effects of poisons on the human body and how to use them in the fight against serious diseases such as epilepsy, cancer, complex diseases joints, cardio vascular diseases, as well as the production of serum from the bites of poisonous snakes.

The composition of the venom is very specific to each species of snake and varies with the seasons. The main components are: toxic proteins (neurotoxins, protease inhibitors) and acetylcholine esterase inhibitor (anticholinesterases, proteinase inhibitors), including specific toxins that cause rapid paralysis in the victim. Poisons also have the action of toxic enzymes (hydrolases, amino acid oxidases, phospholipase A2, hemorrhagin, myotoxin), the function of which is to distribute the poison by blood flow throughout the body of the prey. In addition, glandular venom contains nucleotides, free amino acids, sugars, lipids, and metal ions. Next in component toxicity: neurotoxins or nerve poisons cause paralysis by presynaptic [inhibition of neurotransmitter release] or postsynaptic attacks [receptor blockade] and convulsions [transmitter enhancement release, e.g. potassium channels, or inhibition of transmitter-ozone-depleting enzymes, such as acetylcholine esterase. Cardiotoxicity - poisons that cause the collapse of the heart muscle; irreversible depolarization of the heart muscle and nerves cause conduction disturbances, phospholipases cause hemolysis, inhibition of acetylcholine release through PLA2.

The poison contains anticoagulants that disrupt blood clotting; hemorrhagic factors (cause bleeding), proteolytic enzymes - proteases that cause necrosis - local death of cells and tissues. After the bite of sea snakes, extensive hemorrhages occur in the body. The poisons of some breeds of vipers contain hyaluronidase, neurotoxins and proteolytic enzymes of poisons. The consequences of such bites: extensive bleeding, bleeding disorders, tissue destruction and cardiovascular shock. All protein components of snake venoms are antigens and are used to obtain serum against poisoning by such poisons.

Beneficial features

Today, snake venoms are widely used in various areas pharmaceutical industry and medicine.

From the venom of the African viper, for example, protein coagulation serum can be obtained. As a result of pharmaceutical researchers, the drug Tirofiban was developed, the first representative of the group of clotting inhibitors. This prevents plaque buildup, blockage of blood vessels, thrombosis formation and hence strokes and heart attacks can be prevented with this remedy.

The drug, which is obtained from the toxic substances of the South American lancelot, promotes blood clotting and has been successfully used in the treatment of wounds.

Experiments are underway to use snake venom in therapy cancerous tumors, in particular, the ability to block metastasis or stop the growth of neoplasms.

Application in homeopathy

Snake venom has proven successful in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and arthritis. In small homeopathic doses, it is very effective in the treatment of all chronic inflammatory diseases. With poison therapy or toxin therapy, only one hundredth of a milligram is taken. This is extremely a small amount of toxin eliminates foci of inflammation in the joints through a muscle relaxing effect and strengthening the immune system.

Similar homeopathic preparations on snake venom are shown with chronic pain, migraine, neuralgia, inflammation of the kidneys, asthma, eczema, hay fever and some types of allergies. So far this unique method demonstrated rapid success of treatment.

Thanks to their medicinal properties, snake venom is an active ingredient in many ointments that have analgesic, anti-inflammatory effects, increases blood clotting, is used in the treatment of hematomas, different kind injuries and bruises. It is also used for the prevention of rheumatic diseases, joint diseases, back pain, is used as additional therapy in some diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as in cosmetology.