Snake venom is without a doubt poisonous, but it can help in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that has developed resistance to anti-retroviral drugs.
HIV positive people, who do not respond to prescribed drugs, have been found with improved immunity following treatment with snake venom. It has also been observed that snake venom attacks the virus, making it ineffective.
A group of clinician-scientists from Madras Medical College, Chennai, Chennai Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy, in association with the University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre, Hungary, have evaluated the probable mechanism of venoms against HIV.
The team comprised Dr Ramachandran Meenakshi-sundaram, Dr Sweni Shah and Dr Ponniah Thirumalaikolundusubramanian.
Dr Ramachandran said that the properties and components found in snake venom, such as sequence homology and enzymes, may have an effect on membrane protein and/or act against HIV at multiple levels by affecting cells carrying the virus which could result in an enhanced effect of anti-retroviral therapy.
This may cause a decrease in viral load and improvement on clinical as well as immunological status.
Stating that insect venom too has potential anti-viral activity through inhibition of virion entry into the cells, he said the study needs to be further evaluated to establish the role of venom against HIV as an independent one or as a supplement.
The team took up the study of anti-HIV activity of snake venom after it found that a person living with HIV, who was not responding to anti-retroviral treatment, showed signs of increased immunity after he was bitten by a snake.
The venom might have reduced the HIV load, thereby decreasing its effect and enhancing the CD4 count. “Hopefully, the use of venom might be the dawn of a new era of anti-retroviral therapy against HIV or act as an adjuvant not only for HIV but also to other viral infections,” said Dr Ramachandran.
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