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Arachnids harbor a plentiful array of molecules that target mammalian pain receptors.

Compounds in the arachnids’ venom interact with ion channels to both cause and block pain.

If successful, the treatments could alleviate patients’ pain by reducing inflammation.

Decades after their discovery by bioprospectors, amphibian-derived analgesics continue to attract scientific attention.

A cornucopia of toxins in the animal kingdom could provide inspiration for novel painkillers, but so far, effective drugs have proven elusive.
 

Studying cone snail venom has yielded novel pain pathways, but the peptides that function as toxins are difficult to translate into drugs.

Venomous centipedes may harbor a clue to the creation of a successful pain-killing compound for humans.

Painful snake bites may hold clues to developing analgesic drugs.

Cone snail venom researcher Mandë Holford discusses the therapeutic potential of toxins found in animals.