It was determined that the venom of the black scorpion triggered the cancerous cell in the breast to be destroyed. It was determined that the poison did not harm normal cells.
A new study was carried out at the Scorpion Venom Center, which was established for scientific purposes at Şanlıurfa Harran University (HRU).
The academics in the Scorpion Venom Research Group, where the university carried out important studies on the detection of venomous scorpions in Şanlıurfa and its surrounding provinces, their population status, determination of population dynamism, production in the laboratory, determination of the relationship between venom milking, nutrition and venom quality; It was noted that they carried out scientific studies on anti-cancer, antimicrobial and other uses in medicine.
According to the news of AA; HRU Faculty of Medicine Lecturer Assoc. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu and his team shared the results obtained within the scope of the anticancer drug development study from scorpion venom for breast cancers.
Great Expectations from Black Scorpion Venom
In the statement, it was stated that scorpion venoms contain many bioactive compounds that are effective against the progression of cancer.
Assoc. Dr. Koyuncu stated that black scorpion venom has exciting medical prospects, it is the most expensive and deadly venom with the potential to be a drug candidate, and the peptides of several scorpion venom are promising in many diseases.
Pointing out that the venom content of scorpions varies according to the species and the environment they live in, and therefore scorpion venoms of the same species may have different pharmacological effects, Koyuncu said that they are investigating the metabolite profile and anti-cancer properties of the venom of the black scorpion species living in Şanlıurfa.
Their effects on 10 different types of cancer were studied
Koyuncu said:
“Due to their structural and functional specificity, scorpion peptides have been widely used in the development of specific drugs, especially for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other immune system deficiencies. In this study, venom collected from scorpions by electric impulse method was processed to a size of 3-10 kDa. The anti-cancer effect and mechanism of action of the obtained poison fractions on ten different cancers (breast, prostate, lung, colon, etc.) and normal cells were examined.
“Our work on the detection of the target molecule continues”
As a result of the study, it was determined that the scorpion venom showed the strongest anti-cancer effect by triggering the death mechanism on breast cancer, which we call apoptosis, and also did not harm normal breast cells. We continue our studies to investigate this effect in more detail and to determine the target molecule. With the detection of the active peptide, it will be possible to produce the drug synthetically without the need for scorpion venom.”
