Possible treatments for erectile dysfunction have been in the works for potentially thousands of years, and only relatively recently have drugs like Viagra hit the market, but they come with side effects. As innovation continues, some researchers are looking at unconventional resources.
Convincing a man that spider venom will be the source of vitality in his nether region doesn’t sound like an easy sell, but new science suggests it could be a promising option in the future.
Researchers working at the Catholic University of Korea have identified a protein found naturally in spider venom, specifically the wandering spider found in Brazil, could be effective in treating erectile dysfunction. The study, published in the journal Urology, was built upon research from a team in Brazil back in 2011.
The venom protein (PnTx2-6) was tested in mice and rats, and the toxin appears to increase cavernosal relaxation. Cavernosum are sponge-like regions of erectile tissue, and in order for an erection to occur, valves must be loosened to allow blood flow.
The affect of the venom when it comes to erectile dysfunction came about partially by accident. Medical Xpress explained how research came to fruition:
Research into the possible use of wandering spider venom arose after a team in Brazil studied the impact of spider bites on the local population back in 2000. They found that among other symptoms, the spider bites sometimes resulted in priapism—erections that last an abnormally long time. Over time other researchers have isolated the chemical involved, PnTx2-6, and used recombinant DNA techniques to produce the protein in caterpillar cells. Now, testing by this latest team of researchers indicates that the protein helps restore erectile function in the tissue of rats.
It’ll likely be a while before PnTx2-6 will be an option for treatment in humans, but it’s a promising new development – even for men who are afraid of spiders.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
[Photo from Flickr user Andreas Kay]
