Snake venom to lead to drug discovery?

A new protein has been identified in snake venom that could lead to the discovery of new drugs.

Haditoxin was described in the Journal of Biological Chemistry after being discovered at a laboratory in Singapore.

And co-author of the paper Dr S Niru Nirthanan explained that the structurally-unique nature of the protein means it could have pharmacological properties.

Despite more than 50 years of research into king cobra venom, new compounds are still being found, he said.

The substance acts on neurotransmitter receptors - which can lead to paralysis and respiratory failure by disrupting communication between nerve cells.

"Because of the high specificity of these toxins, haditoxin may [be] useful as a 'molecular probe', which will help us study neurotransmitter receptors and their role in disease," Dr Nirthanan remarked.

These receptors are known to be factors in conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as depressive disorders.

Last year, researchers at the University of Texas found that venom from the skin glands of toads could be used to slow the progression of cancer in some cases.