Ruminations: Natural Solution for a Natural Plague

"We were able to show this component of snake venom was able to inhibit a very important protein from the virus."
"A component of the venom demonstrated in this study is that it has development potential. It's a long road, we have taken the first steps."
"Is this an important discovery? Without a doubt it is, but chasing after the animal is not how it will be resolved."
"The component that was discovered is just a fraction from inside the venom, it is not the venom itself that will cure coronavirus at this time."
Rafael Guido,professor, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

"We're wary about people going out to hunt the jararacussu around Brazil, thinking they're going to save the world."
"That's not it! It's not the venom itself that will cure the coronavirus."
Giuseppe Puorto, herpetologist, Butantan Institute biological collection, Sao Paulo

A researcher works on a sample inside a laboratory at the University of Sao Paulo's Institute of Physics for a study in which the institute claims to have discovered a 75% drop in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) production after cells came into contact with jararacussu snake venom, in Sao Carlos, Brazil August 30, 2021. Picture taken August 30, 2021. REUTERS/Carla Carniel

A breakthrough study published in the scientific journal Molecules by Brazilian researchers establishes that a molecule in the venom of a viper native to Brazil succeeded in inhibiting reproduction of the coronavirus in monkey cells. This is a start toward producing a potential initial step in the drive to discover a drug capable of combating the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

The finding was that the molecule produced by the jararacussu pit viper was able to inhibit virus multiplication in monkey cells, by 75 percent.

The jararacussu pit viper is one of the largest snakes in Brazil, measuring up to 6 feet (Mark Kostich/iStock)

Without doing harm to other cells -- the molecule, a peptide or chain of amino acids -- was found to be capable of connecting to an enzyme of the coronavirus called PLPro, vital to reproduction of the virus. The peptide, known for its antibacterial qualities, can be laboratory synthesized. That being the case there is no need to harvest the animals themselves, capturing them to extract the peptide in the venom, or alternately raising the snakes for venom extraction.

The follow-up stage is the evaluation by researchers to determine the efficiency of different doses of the molecule; and whether it may prevent the virus from entering cells to begin with, according to a statement from the State University of Sao Paulo (UNESP), involved in the research.

Should everything proceed as anticipated, the researchers look forward to testing the substance in human cells eventually.