Context:

A July 2024 study published in the journal Science Transnational Medicine reported that tinzaparin, a drug commonly used to prevent blood clots, can significantly reduce damage to human cells caused by spitting cobra venom. 

More on the news:

• In experiments, mice injected with cobra venom and tinzaparin exhibited significantly less skin damage than those not given the drug. This finding underscores tinzaparin’s potential as a protective agent against cobra venom.
• The team has filed for a patent and plans to start human trials soon, a move that could transform the treatment of venomous snakebites worldwide.
• Researchers hope that this study will attract attention and funding to further explore advanced technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 in addressing snakebite envenoming potentially leading to real-world solutions for regions heavily affected by snakebites.

How does Cobra Venom affect? 

• Snake venoms are typically composed of a complex mixture containing 20 to over 100 components.
  The majority of these components (more than 90%) are peptides and proteins. 
• The main biological effects, which vary based on the snake species, include neurotoxicity, haemotoxicity, and cytotoxicity.
• The venom attacks the body's cells and damages the nervous system, often leading to death in animals and potentially causing permanent disabilities in humans.

How researchers found the antidote (Tinzaparin) to snake venom?

• The venom of the red and black-necked spitting cobras (used in the study) is poorly understood, contributing to the slow progress in antivenom development. 
• Researchers addressed the above issue by studying how spitting cobra venom affects human cells. 
• Using CRISPR-Cas9, a genome-editing tool, they created a collection of human cells, each lacking a single gene (making cells unable to produce a particular protein), and treated these cells with cobra venom. 
• Cells that survived lacked specific genes involved in synthesizing heparan sulfate, a sugar compound that regulates blood vessel formation and clotting in the human body.
• The researchers hypothesized that stopping the biological pathway synthesizing heparan sulfate could mitigate venom toxicity. 
• Introducing molecules resembling heparan sulphate, like tinzaparin, led the body to halt the synthesis pathway, significantly reducing damage to cells due to spitting cobra venom.
  Tinzaparin is an anticoagulant, low molecular weight heparin used for the treatment of deep venous thrombosis, a condition in which harmful blood clots form in the blood vessels of the legs.
• Tinzaparin protected cells from venom damage even when introduced an hour after venom exposure. 
• It works by blocking the interaction between the venom and its receptor in the cell, binding to venom molecules.

Current Antivenom Treatments:

• The traditional treatment for snakebites involves antivenom, which is produced by injecting small amounts of snake venom into domestic animals like horses and sheep to stimulate their immune systems to produce antibodies. 
• These antibodies are then extracted and used to treat snakebite victims. 
• However, this method is fraught with challenges, including difficulties in production, storage, transportation, administration, high costs, and severe side effects.