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Posted on Oct 11, 2002, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Australian researchers have isolated a toxin from a deadly marine snail called a cone shell that speeds the recovery of injured nerves and is a potent analgesic. When the newly discovered conotoxin, called ACV1, was tested on nerve damaged rats researchers found that those treated with AVC1 had regained 83% of their functional activity, whereas rats treated with a placebo had regained just 47%.
Australian researchers have isolated a toxin from a deadly marine snail called a cone shell that speeds the recovery of injured nerves and is a potent analgesic. When the newly discovered conotoxin, called ACV1, was tested on nerve damaged rats researchers found that those treated with AVC1 had regained 83% of their functional activity, whereas rats treated with a placebo had regained just 47%. As well as accelerating the recovery of injured nerves, the researchers found that ACV1 has extremely potent analgesic properties. In fact, it is 10 times more potent than another conotoxin that is 1000 times more potent than morphine at blocking sensory nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 12th July 2002
