Kidney diseases could be treated by dangerous snake venom

'A new study conducted on mice has observed that genetic disorders related to the kidneys could now be treated by making use of the Venom secreted by a green mamba, one of the dangerous snakes found in warm forested areas of Africa.

On what disease the study was conducted?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, polycystic kidney disease is a kidney disorder which causes numerous cysts to grow in the kidney and can ultimately lead to kidney failure. The disease is even more dangerous and can even lead to death in babies born with this kidney disorder.

Nicolas Gilles, the author of the study and a researcher at the University of Paris-Saclay in France said that since the study was conducted on mice, more observations and research are needed to test if the venom compound can actually work on people.

The National Kidney Foundation reported that at present, only very few treatments are available for the polycystic kidney disease and these treatments can help in overcoming only the symptoms of the disease like high blood pressure and cannot cure the disease completely.

How was the study conducted?

The bite of green mamba usually causes nausea, dizziness and irregular heartbeat in humans and is potentially fatal. The researchers of the study first tried to extract a compound called mambaquaretin-1 present in the venom of green mamba.

The venom compound was then given to 6 mice which suffered from kidney disease for 99 days. The study also involved another group of control mice which had the same disorder and these mice were given a saline solution for 99 days. The mice which were given the venom compound did not show any abnormal behavior during the course of the experiment.

After 99 days, the researchers measured the level of markers for kidney function and observed that the mice which received the venom compound had improved kidney function when compared to those mice in the control group.

The researchers made the following observations at the end of the experiment. In those mice which were given the venom compound, the number of cysts has decreased by one-third, the ratio of the cyst area to the normal kidney area had reduced by 28 percent, and the total area of the cysts in the kidney has drastically reduced by 47 percent.

The researchers of the study also said that the kidney disease involves a receptor called type-2 vasopressin receptor and the venom compound works by attacking the action of that receptor.

Live Science reported that the author of the study Nicolas Gilles has said that the venom compound from this dangerous snake is not used to treat any other medical condition, but it is clear that the venom besides being rich in toxins is also a rich source of molecules that can attack certain receptors which are critical to the human health.