| For centuries, the desert-dwelling arachnids known as | | | | component of the venom is interacting with the |
| scorpions have been seen as creatures of dark | | | | cancerous cells, but testing has shown that patients |
| repute. Their form is alien-looking to most humans, | | | | have shown that the pain is not as intense if the |
| giving an air of otherworldliness. The secretive nature | | | | venom was applied. However, researchers are still |
| of the species has kept most humans from observing | | | | attempting to eliminate all of the other possible factors, |
| them thoroughly. Even if there were those who knew | | | | especially since the venom usually causes pain in |
| where to look, the venom in the scorpion's stingers | | | | patients without cancerous cells. |
| often sent fools scampering for pain relief within | | | | A related field of research to the one above is being |
| seconds of being stung. There are also the unlucky | | | | conducted in the effects of the venom on people with |
| who suffer from agonizing pain and slow torment until | | | | brain tumors. There is a compound in the |
| the venom takes its course and leaves them dead. | | | | Deathstalker's potent venom, the peptide chlorotoxin, |
| However, there are more aspects to the scorpion and | | | | that has shown potential in being used as a treatment |
| its venom than pain and the need for pain relief and | | | | for brain tumors in humans. The toxin compounds |
| anti-venom. | | | | combine with the damaged cells and the components |
| Scorpions, like most venomous creatures, are the | | | | that cause the tumors, weakening them such that |
| source of the cures to the very ills they cause. The | | | | simple exposure to radiation can remove what's left. |
| best pain relief and antidote to scorpion venom is not | | | | The idea is still being put through extensive testing, but |
| some random medication, but anti-venom derived | | | | if the tests prove to be successful and the synthetic |
| directly from the scorpion's own lethal mix. One | | | | (and non-lethal) version of the venom proves to be |
| particular scorpion's venom, however, is being studied | | | | just as effective as the real thing, it might see frequent |
| very closely by some medical research groups. The | | | | use. The procedure for using it, according to estimates, |
| Deathstalker, also known as the Israeli Desert | | | | would really be as simple as injecting a solution of the |
| Scorpion, is easily the most venomous scorpion in the | | | | compounds into the patient's head. |
| world. The venom is a potent neurotoxin that causes | | | | Finally, researchers have found that Deathstalker |
| intense pain, usually due to muscle spasms, and slow | | | | venom, or certain components within it that may or |
| failure of the entire nervous system. The venom is | | | | may not be possible to synthesize, can help control |
| surprisingly only rarely lethal in humans, unless a person | | | | insulin levels. There is still much research being done to |
| is stung and gets extreme amounts of the poison. | | | | determine just what in the venom has this effect, as |
| However, researchers have also found that the | | | | well as all the possible effects it could have on a |
| venom might have some use in medicine, quite | | | | person's insulin levels. Still, there is quite a bit of |
| ironically, to save lives. | | | | optimism tied to the project, mostly because there is |
| The first possibility stems from the discovery that | | | | the possibility of using a synthetic form of the venom |
| Deathstalker venom was found to be effective pain | | | | to treat diabetes. |
| relief for cancer patients. It is unknown what specific | | | | |