Scientists develop ointment to better chances of surviving a snake bite
July 8th, 2011 - 8:00 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattSydney, Australia, June 28(THAINDIAN NEWS) Scientists have developed a new ointment that they say can slow down the flow of venom in the case of a snake bite. The ointment is being hailed as life saving because snake bites account for about 100,000 deaths throughout the world each year. The ointment contains the substance glyceryl trinitrate.
The new ointment has been tested on rats and the researchers found that the survival time of the animal was increased by as much as 50 percent. It is a major breakthrough because scientists theorize that the ointment will give the person the needed time to be able to survive and reach a health facility.
The research was carried out by researchers from John Hunter Hospital in New Lambton, New South Wales, Australia. The findings of the research were published in the journal Nature Medicine.
The researchers tested the ointment on rats. In those experiments the animals were injected with snake venom and then treated with the ointment. The ointment slowed down the flow of the venom to the heart and gave the animal more time to live.
After the breakthrough, the ointment was then tested on human volunteers. The researchers used a benign substance on the volunteers and monitored the flow of the substance. It was also found that the ointment slowed down the flow of the substance as well.
Researchers say the ointment could be used as a first aid for snake bites in the future.
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