Three decades ago, Brazilian scientists began researching the strange side effects of the banana spider bite: the venom causes victims to experience painful and persistent erections.
From this phenomenon, scientists developed a synthetic molecule that harnesses some properties of the spider’s venom to create a gel for treating erectile dysfunction, which is currently in promising clinical trials.
The banana spider is one of the most venomous spiders in the world. (Photo: Daily Mail).
Covered in a thick layer of brown fur and reaching a maximum size of up to 15 cm, the banana spider is one of the most venomous species in the world.
This species is found in several South American countries, especially in banana plantations. They are also known as “wandering spiders” or “armed spiders.”
At the Ezequiel Dias Organization (FUNED), a medical research center in the capital of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, a biologist skillfully uses tweezers to catch the spider and stimulate its fangs to extract a few drops of venom.
FUNED then sends the venom to the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), where researchers are studying its components for potential use in treating erectile dysfunction, a condition affecting tens of millions of men worldwide.
Maria Elena de Lima, a researcher at UFMG, stated that the Brazilian biotechnology company Biozeus has acquired the patent for this molecule.
This molecule activates the release of nitric oxide, a substance necessary for an erection by increasing blood flow and helping blood vessels dilate.
De Lima mentioned that this research could be particularly useful in the fight against cancer, as men with prostate cancer often refuse prostatectomy because it can damage nerves and lead to erectile dysfunction.
Biozeus aims to sell the product in the form of an ointment that can be applied to the penis as needed, facilitating an erection in just a few minutes.
After the first phase of clinical trials was approved by Brazil’s regulatory agency Anvisa, the drug has moved on to phase two. It must undergo three phases of testing before it can be sold.
