The Venom Cure
Video: Copperhead Venom and Cancer Research

Professor Frank Markland of the University of Southern California discusses his research investigating whether contortrostatin, a protein found in copperhead snake venom, is effective in attacking cancer cells and preventing their spread in breast cancer patients.

NOTE: Never intentionally provoke a poisonous snake to bite you. This video discusses early-stage medical research, not currently viable options for treatment. If you or someone you know is suffering from cancer, you are strongly urged to seek professional medical care.

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35 Responses to “Video: Copperhead Venom and Cancer Research”
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  2. Thank you spreading all these handy information. Your post The Venom Cure – Video: Copperhead Venom and Cancer Research | Nature | PBS actually facilitates us a great deal. You should check the post also, should you not agree, you may also keep your thoughts.

  3. gary luedke says:

    I have recently been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in my neck (right side). I will be starting chemo/radiation treatments within the next two weeks. It was diagnosed about 5 months ago and I have had all the preliminary tests done i.e. cat scans, blood tests, kidney tests etc. I just purchased a 30 day supply of rattle snake venom pills that are supposed to enhance my immune system. I haven’t taken any yet but would like to know if there is a reason not to. The seller has been processing and distributing this product for 40 years and has, supposedly, had remarkable results within the cancer treatment arena. If anyone has the email address of Joel T. La Rocque I would like to have it. My address: garyluedke@yahoo.com

  4. Kyle says:

    Wow, some of the comments are so ignorant and stupid that I won’t even bother repeating them here, but I will say that for all you selfish people who don’t give a crap about the environment or what creatures reside in it: this is one of the reasons that we need animals like venomous snakes (besides the fact that they play a critical role in their ecosystems and are beautiful and majestic animals (although they are to be treated with the utmost respect), but that is not of concern to people other than myself and animal enthusiasts). Also, for those people who feel bad for the mouse and think the snake should get hurt… it’s what happens in the wild. Do you think that lions or tigers or any carnivorous animal can just go vegetarian? NO! That’s because their metabolisms are SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for them to eat what they eat. Humans are no different. Although we can eat an exclusively vegetarian diet, it’s better in general to vary it as much as possible to get the most nutrients in a natural manner without supplements. Also, that’s not the only way we kill animals. If you wear anything made out of leather, that’s a cow you have paid to skin. If you have a dog or cat, there’s meat in their food. House mice and Norwegian rats are invasive species in most of the world since they have spread such vast distances and reproduced so quickly. They spread diseases such as the Black Plague and other deadly ailments; which predators can stop by cutting down the population. When you look at the bigger picture instead of getting all emotional over a natural occurrence, you’ll understand. Act your age, not your shoe size.

  5. arnold gallian says:

    so glad to hear that this research is going on . my wife died of lung cancer that had manastisized to her bones when they found the cancer she had 36 tomers in her bones.. so i know a little about cemo and how distudtive itcan be. venom is local Is it better chance a hole in a womans or breast or cut the whole breast off. i’m a man so i can’t know how devistsating that can be but ido kwow i would rather have a hole in my breast than a masectomy.By the way although i am male i’ve had a mamogram due to a lomp i found in my breast . With a little embarassment that was relieved by the professtionism of my care givers. I was told it was not cancer just a lack of testosterone. Ihave been reseaching venom to use against tumors simce a wolf spider fed of my right leg while i slept for two weeks after i caught the damed thing. I started concidering nicrodic venomfor use against cancer so i say lets try it against breast or pancreatic tumores. keep up the good work and god bless.

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