Snake Venom-Derived Super Glue Stops Bleeding In Seconds
Canadian and Chinese researchers use the venom of the lance head snake to create material that stops bleeding.
July 15, 2021
Fer de Lance. Photo by Dr. Morley Read/Shutterstock
Researchers with the University of Western Ontario have used a blood clotting enzyme called reptilase or batroxobin to create a glue that is so strong in its properties that it can stop bleeding in mere seconds.
Western University bioengineer Kibret Mequanint used the venom of the lancehead (Fer de Lance) snake (
Bothrops atrox) to develop a body tissue adhesive that is created using the batroxobin in a modified gelatin that Mequanint says can be packaged in a small tube for a potentially life-saving application.