Potential Antidote Discovered For World's Most Venomous Sea Creature, The Box Jellyfish

Researchers at the University of Sydney say they have discovered a potential antidote for the sting of the world's most venomous sea creature: the Australian box jellyfish.

The jellyfish has about 60 tentacles that can grow up to 3 meters (almost 10 feet). They live mainly in coastal waters around the north and west of Australia and the Philippines, according to the university's press release.

Each tentacle has millions of microscopic hooks filled with venom, and the jellyfish carries enough venom to kill more than 60 humans, the university said. Associate Professor Greg Neely, one of the study's authors, said no other animal carries that amount of venom.

The venom can cause tissue necrosis, extreme pain, cardiac arrest and death within minutes after severe exposure. If it doesn't kill, the venom can cause excruciating pain.

The research team used the gene-editing technique known as CRISPR to identify how the venom kills human cells.

"We studied the biggest, most venomous and scary one," Neely said in a news release. "Our drug works on the big beast. We don't know yet if it works on other jellyfish, but we know it works on the most-deadly one."

Researchers found that the venom does most of its damage to the skin when it interacts with cholesterol, and that drugs that already exist to eliminate cholesterol also can work as antidotes for box jellyfish venom if it is administered within 15 minutes of the sting.

Researchers used specific types of cyclodextrins, a family of drugs that absorb cholesterol, to block the venom, Neely said.

"It turns out by blocking the venom's ability to kill the cells, we can also block some of the pain," Neely, an associate professor at the University of Sydney who studies diseases and pain, told CNN.

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Created on Jun 6th 2019 23:30. Viewed 133 times.

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