This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Spider venom offers potential for stroke therapy
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has indicted that a protein present in funnel web spider venom could help protect the brain from further injury following a stroke.
Scientists conducted tests on lab rats which showed that a single dose of the Hi1a protein blocked acid-sensing ion channels in the brain, a function which research has shown is a key drivers of brain damage after stroke.
The news comes as stroke is listed as the second most common cause of death, causing about 6.7 million deaths each year, one every five seconds
Prof Glenn King, who led the research, said the protein had showed ‘great promise as a future stroke treatment’.
"We believe that we have, for the first time, found a way to minimise the effects of brain damage after a stroke.
"Hi1a even provides some protection to the core brain region most affected by oxygen deprivation, which is generally considered unrecoverable due to the rapid cell death caused by stroke."
Dr Kate Holmes, deputy director for Research at the Stroke Association, said: "We do not have an accurate picture of what happens in human brains from this research, therefore, it is currently unknown if this could be a successful treatment option for humans in the future.
"We welcome any treatment that has the potential to reduce the damage caused by stroke, particularly if this can benefit people who are unable to arrive at hospital quickly.
"Current treatments must be given in half this time period, and it is too early for us to know if this research can offer an alternative for stroke patients.
"We urge for stroke to be treated as an emergency - the sooner a person can get to hospital after a stroke, the sooner the right treatment can be received, which can improve survival and help recovery."
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