Re: lectins and cancer


"Yibbels" <yibbels@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1113304542.274604.263490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Aren't lectins natural and thus all good for you?
>
> Snake venom is also natural. Is it good for you?
>

Nature has given us this for our use. Russels vipor venom is used to test
for lupus anticoagulant in clinical practice.
Reptilase, venom of the pit vipor Bothrops atrox, is used in a clot based
test system for neutralizing heparin effects.

J Pak Med Assoc. 2005 Feb;55(2):71-3. Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Cobra snake venom reduces significantly tissue nucleic acid levels in human
breast cancer.

Jokhio R, Ansari AF.

Department of Pliysilogy, University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

OBJECTIVE: To look into the feasibility of using cobra snake venom in
suppressing breast cancer tissue through inhibition of nucleic acid
synthesis. METHODS: Samples of breast cancerous tissue, obtained from Atomic
Energy Medical Center, LMCH, Jamshoro, incubated with varying concentrations
of venom and without venom (as controls) were assayed for macromolecular
(RNA and DNA) levels RESULTS: No. change in the control samples while a
prominent and significant fall in nucleic acid contents has been noted in
venom treated tissues. Also, maximum effect was observed with 25ug/ml dose.
CONCLUSION: Snake venom strongly inhibited the formation of nucleic acids in
the breast cancerous tissues. It may bring a fall in cell proliferation,
thus there is hope that venom could be used as an anti-cancerous drug in the
future.

PMID: 15813633 [PubMed - in process]


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