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Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by Cro on June 18, 2008
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Interesting article on how toxic protiens can be tagreted and caused to bond with Carbon Nanotubes and then deactivated with near-infrared light.
Brings to mind that same technology could be used as an future snakebite treatment.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210121638.htm
Best Regards John Z
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RE: Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by Crotalusssp on June 18, 2008
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If the nano-tubes are protein specific it might get tough with venom. Venom is made up hundreds of proteins and enzymes (which are proteins) is it not?
Charles
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RE: Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by Cro on June 18, 2008
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"By attaching peptides to carbon nanotubes, we gave them the ability to selectively recognize a protein of interest -- in this case anthrax toxin -- from a mixture of different proteins," Kane said.
So, to work on snakebite they would have to use the correct peptides to select for the major proteins in venoms, however, perhaps not all of the proteins in venoms would need to be targeted, maybee just a handfull of the most toxic ones. Could be that the body would be able to deal with some of the lesser proteins on its own. Only way to find out would be to research it further.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by earthguy on June 18, 2008
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The truly sad part is that nanotubes would probably be cheaper than Crofab. You'd think that crap had gold as a major ingredient. :)
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RE: Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by Crotalusssp on June 18, 2008
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It would truly be a very interesting step in technology. Shelf life would be much less of a problem and the proteins once isolated and structure attained, would cut down on the need for venom sampling. Venom sample would be needed for different geographic variations, but would eventually the need would lessen. Cost would also most likely drop.
Charles
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RE: Curing Snakebite with Light ???
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by Cro on June 18, 2008
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Yep, CroFab is quite expensive, the hospitals pay from $1,200.00 to $1,800.00 a vial for the stuff.
But what is far worse, is that some of those hospitals often charge the patient anywhere $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 per vial !
So, you wind up with bills of $50,000.00 to $200,000.00 for treating a snakebite
And before some nit-whit starts screaming that hospitals need to make a profit, those prices are the hospitals markup on the drug, and do not include doctors, nurses, or bed costs. That type of profiteering is just not needed.
The Hippocratic Oath of doctors says "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them."
I would consider someone having to sell their house to pay for a snakebite treatment to be "harming them."
Best Regards John Z
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