Mambalgins

[hmg]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19812064

A painkiller as powerful as morphine, but without most of the side-effects, has been found in the deadly venom of the black mamba, say French scientists.

The predator, which uses neurotoxins to paralyse and kill small animals, is one of the fastest and most dangerous snakes in Africa.

However, tests on mice, reported in the journal Nature, showed its venom also contained a potent painkiller.

They admit to being completely baffled about why the mamba would produce it.
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Cue a new generation of smack with no side effects in time for our old age?

 

[Mr. Tea]

Good spot! I saw this too. BUT...I also remember seeing a piece about how dopesick junkies in some godforsaken place or other were deliberately getting bitten by snakes to get 'high'...think this was in America somewhere, so presumably the snakes in question weren't mambas, and maybe it's just some Jackass-inspired idiocy that's been misreported or sensationalized...but it made me wonder. I mean, a non-addictive alternative to morphine has been the holy grail of pain relief since forever, right?

I'll post the piece if I can find it.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Getting High on Snake Bites: Substance Abuse Journal Profiles Snake Venom Addicts

Two cases of snake venom addicts documented in the January issue of Substance Abuse rekindle the prevalence of a troubling drug trend. Both patients used bites from venomous snakes to get high; their case reports describe feelings of heightened arousal, a sense of well-being, sleepiness, dizziness and lethargy. Sounds like a good time, so long as you can avoid the anaphylaxis, respiratory failure, acute renal failure and kidney failure that snakebites can cause.

http://calorielab.com/news/2011/02/10/snake-venom-addicts/