Once the venom takes effect, the prey lay unconscious due to high blood pressure, leaving them trapped and ready to be eaten. The venom takes seconds to make the prey unconscious.
Brazilian pit viper is a snake found in the Amazon basin and forests of Brazil, whose venom is the source of one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for hypertension– captopril.
The venom produces a medication which belongs to a class of medications known as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, now used to treat more than 45 million people worldwide.
The approval of captopril pushed the idea that venoms could be used to create modern medicines.
Researchers are also exploring possibilities of exploring more on what can be achieved out of venom.
Next time, when you see a snake, know that it’s more useful than you thought.
