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Bikaner Scientists in Bikaner, Rajasthan have achieved a major success in the treatment of snakebite. The joint team of Multi-disciplinary Research Unit of Sardar Patel Medical College and AIIMS Jodhpur has succeeded in preparing anti-snake venom from camel blood. This new drug could replace traditional anti-venom made from horse blood, which often causes allergies and severe reactions.
Every year in India, about 50 thousand people lose their lives due to snakebite. Most of them are farmers from rural areas and laborers working in the fields. The anti-venom currently in use is derived from the horse’s immune system, but it is common for patients to have allergic reactions. To overcome this challenge, scientists focused on camel blood.
According to Dr. Sanjay Kauchar, nodal officer of the research team, special antibodies present in the camel’s body can neutralize snake venom more effectively. This significantly reduces the possibility of side effects. In the research, controlled amounts of snake venom were injected into the camel’s body, then anti-venom was prepared from its blood. After successful testing on rats, no serious side effects were observed. Now preparations are being made for human clinical trials.
This achievement could prove to be a boon especially for the Thar Desert region, where poisonous snakes like the saw-scaled viper are common. The MRU Unit of Sardar Patel Medical College has been doing research on snake venom for the last 15 years and has done successful research on more than 65 diseases. Scientists believe that this camel based anti-venom will be cheap, safe and easily available. This will prevent deaths due to snake bites in rural India to a great extent. This success will not only save thousands of lives, but will also open up a new source of income for camel rearing farmers.
