Interesting findings reading through the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For example, the Marbled Cone (Conus marmoreus) is being gathered for biomedical research for treatment of neuropathic pain. This species from the coral triangle (Papua New Guinea region) is one of many cone snails whose toxins have potential biomedical applications. The venom of Conus magus has already been developed into an analgesic drug for intractable pain, especially for cancer patients, which is said to be 1000 times as powerful as morphine. Potential applications of other conotoxins include treatment of schizophrenia, helping to stop nerve-cell death after a stroke or head injury, preventing spasms due to spinal chord injuries, and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Since there are over 600 species of cone snail, some of which are highly threatened and have restricted distributions, it may be that some species are lost before their pharmaceutical potentials can be realized. Here are 3 images (L to R) Conus marmoreus, Conus magus, and Conus geographicus).
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 21:02:49 +0000
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