In Summary
- Kenyan researchers have demonstrated that there is a potential for manufacturing new antibiotics using snake venom.
- The four hypothesized that snake bite victims don’t suffer from bacterial infections despite the oral cavities and fangs possessing deadly bacteria; hence there is a possibility of snake venom containing antimicrobial activity.
- However, they found out that puff adder venom was ineffective as compared to Egyptian cobra and red spitting cobra.
In a study that was published in the National Library of Medicine in March, 2023, a group of 4 Kenyan scientists made a potential breakthrough in using snake venom to produce new antibiotics.
The 4 are: Mitchel Otieno Okumu, Kennedy Lojay Eyaan, Luke Kipkorir Bett and Nduhiu Gitahi.
The researchers’ were driven by the concern of how various bacteria are developing resistance to available antibiotics which makes treatment expensive and complicated.
According to the World Health Organization, various bacteria of medical importance are classified into three categories according to the priority of resistance.
These classes are: 1 (critical, priority), 2 (high and priority) and 3 (medium). While the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance is caused by factors such as mutations and various bacterial mechanisms, misuse of these drugs accelerates resistance.
The clever hypothesis
In trying to demonstrate how snake venom could have antimicrobial activity, the quartet hypothesized that snake bite victims don’t suffer from bacterial infections.
This is despite the fact that oral cavities and fangs of snakes possess deadly bacteria. Some of the bacteria found in snakes’ oral cavities are Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococci, Salmonella, Streptococci, Proteus and Clostridium.
“It is expected that snake mouth bacteria may be inoculated during a dry bite or envenomation resulting in infection. However, it is fascinating that snakebite victims rarely suffer from complications arising from bacterial infections,” the research notes.
The study used three species; puff adder (B. arietans), Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) and red spitting cobra (Naja pallida).
The snakes’ venom was collected from the East Africa Venom Supplies (EAVS) while the study was carried out at University of Nairobi.
Findings
In demonstrating the use of the venoms against bacteria, the study hit a breakthrough and found that the venom from the cobras had better antimicrobial activity than some of the available antibiotics.
However, the puff adder venom didn’t produce any significant results against common pathogens. But in their discussion, the scientists noted that this finding was contrary to another study carried out in Saudi Arabia.
“In conclusion, these findings suggest that Naja haje (Egyptian cobra) and Naja pallida (red spitting cobra) venoms have better antibacterial activity than some of the antibiotics which are currently in use.”
“However, the venom of Bitis arietans appears to be ineffective against common bacterial pathogens,” the study says.
You can have a look at the research here.
