Actually or Potentially Useful Substances Derived From Toxins and Venoms
The following are currently, or have been used, in medical practice.Substance / Natural Source / Therapeutic Use(s)
Aggrastat / Echisocellatus (Saw-scaled Viper) / Anti-coagulant therapy during acute coronary syndrome
Ancrod / Calloselasmarhodostoma (Malayan pit viper) / Dissolves blood clots in stroke patients
Antibiotics / Many fungi, some bacteria / Bacterial (not viral) infections
Artemisinin / Artemesiaannua (plant) / Falciparum malaria
Atropine / Atropa belladonna (plant) / Tachycardia & pesticide/nerve gas poisoning
Botox / Clostridium botulinum (bacteria) / Wrinkles, hyperhidrosis, migraines, muscle spasms
Byetta / Helodermasuspectum (Gila monster) / Type 2 diabetes
Caffeine / Apnea in premature infants; analgesic adjuvant
Camphor / Cinnamonumcamphora (plant) / Anti-itch, nasal decongestant (Vicks Vaporub™)
Capsaicin / Capsicum annuum (chili plant) / Analgesic, anti-arthritic, barnacle repellant(!)
Captopril / Bothropsjaracusa (Arrowhead viper) / Hypertension
Chaulmoogra / Hydnocarpusantihelmintica (plant) / Leprosy
Chlorotoxin / Leiurusquinquestratum (Deathstalker scorpion) / Tumor ‘painting’ (aids identification of tumors, especially gliomas, during surgical removal)
Cocaine derivatives / Erythroxylum coca (coca plant) / Local anesthetics (Xylocaine, Novocain, etc.)
Colchicine / Crocus autumnale (plant) / Anti-gout, anti-cancer?, cytogenetics research
Cyclosporin / Cordycepssubsessilis (fungus) / Immunosuppressant (organ transplants)
Dicoumarin / Melilotusofficinalis (Sweet clover) / Anticoagulant, rat poison
Digitalis / Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) / Congestive heart failure
Enalapril / Bothropsjaracusa (Arrowhead viper) / Hypertension
Ephedrine / Ephedra sinica (Ma huang plant) / Stimulant, appetite suppressant, decongestant
Ergotamine / Clavicepspurpurea (Ergot fungus) / Migraine and cluster headaches
Eugenol / Syzygiumaromaticum (clove plant) / Dental disinfectant and mild anesthetic
Exendin / Helodermasuspectum (Gila monster) / Type 2 diabetes
Integrilin / Sistrurusmiliarus (Pigmy rattlesnake) / Anti-coagulant therapy during acute coronary syndrome
L-dopa / Mucuna spp. (tropical vine) / Parkinsonism
Menthol / Menthaarvensis (plant) / Mild analgesic
Opiates / Papaversomniferum (opium poppy) / Analgesics (morphine, codeine, demerol, oxycontin, percoset, etc.)
Papaverine / Papaversomniferum (opium poppy) / Smooth muscle relaxant blood flow to brain, heart muscle, intestines, penis
Physostigmine / Physostigmavenenosum (plant) / Anti-depressant overdoses
Pilocarpine / Pilocarpus jaborandi (slobber-mouth plant) / Glaucoma, xerostomia (dry mouth that typically results from radiation therapy for mouth or throat cancer)
Prialt / Conus spp. (marine snails) / Severe chronic pain (non-addicting?)
Pyrethrins / Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium (plant) / Relatively non-toxic (to mammals) insecticide
Quinidine / Cinchona ledgeriana (plant) / Anti-arrhythmic (stabilizes heart electrical activity)
Quinine / Cinchona ledgeriana (plant) / Anti-pyretic, anti-malarial
Reserpine / Rauwolfia serpentine (Snakeroot) / Tranquilizer, anti-psychotic, anti-hypertensive
Rotenone / Lonchocarpusnicou (plant) / Insecticide
Salicylic acid / Salix spp. (willow) / Basis for aspirin ( = acetylsalicylic acid)
Saponins / Dioscoreavillosa Mexican wild yam / Precursor molecules for synthesis of cortisone and 70% of oral contraceptives
Scopolamine / Hyoscyamusniger (plant) / Motion sickness
Streptokinase / Streptococcus pyrogenes (-hemolytic) / Dissolving clots in strokes and heart attacks
Taxol / Taxusbrevifola (Pacific yew tree) / Ovarian and some other cancers
Tetrodin / Tetraodontid fish (Puffer fish) / Intractable pain, opiate addiction
Theobromine / Theobroma cacao (Cacao plant) / Congestive heart failure (diuretic), bronchodilator
Theophylline / Camellia sinensis (Tea plant) / Apnea in premature infants; asthsma; COPD
Thymol / Thymus vulgaris (thyme plant) / Antifungal
Tubocurarine / Chondodendrontomentosum (plant) / Muscle relaxants during surgery (safer synthetic alternatives now available)
Vinblastine / Catharanthusroseus (plant) / Hodgkin’s’ disease, prostate cancer
Vincristine / Catharanthusroseus (plant) / Leukemia, lymphoma, breast & lung cancer
The following show significant therapeutic potential and/or are currently undergoing Stage I, II, or III clinical trials in the U. S.
Alliin / Allium sativum (garlic) / Hypercholesterolemia
Bilobalide / Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) / Claudication (calf pain due to peripheral vascular disease)
Boswellic acid / Boswelliaserrata (Frankincense) / Degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee
Charybdotoxin / Leiurusquinquestratum (Deathstalker scorpion) / Multiple sclerosis
Chlorotoxin / Leiurusquinquestratum (Deathstalker scorpion) / Targeted anti-tumor drug delivery
Contortrostatin / Agkistrodoncontortrix (Southern copperhead) / Breast cancer, malignant gliomas (anti-angiogenin)
Delucemine / Agelonopsisaperta (spider) / Neuroprotectant during stroke, depression, seizure disorders
Dendrotoxin / Dendroaspisangusticeps( (green mamba) / Alzheimer’s disease
Epibatidine / Epipedobates tricolor (Arrow-poison frog) / Non-addicting analgesic, memory enhancer
Ginkgolides / Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) / Claudication (calf pain due to peripheral vascular disease)
Grammotoxin / Grammostolaspatulata(Chilean pink tarantula) / Non-addicting opioid-like analgesic
IdeS / Streptococcus pyogenes / Autoimmune disease states
Margatoxin / Centruroidesmargaritatus(scorpion) / Autoimmune disease states
Menthol / Mentapiperial (Peppermint) / Irritable bowel syndrome
Mocarhagin / Najamocambique(Mozambique spitting cobra) / Severe acute inflammatory disease
Parthenolide / Tanacetumparthenium (plant) / Migraine headache
SNX-482 / Hysterocratesgigas, (Cameroon red tarantula) / Acute pain
SNX-111 / Conusmagnus (marine snail) / Analgesic (non-addicting?)
Theophylline / Camellia sinensis (Tea plant) / Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Triterpenesaponins / Aesculushippocastanum (Horse chestnut) / Chronic venous insufficiency