briefly in the news

Venom from sea anemones may yield a new class of drug treatments for

multiple sclerosis, one of the most common diseases of the nervous

system, according to a study by UC Irvine’s College of Medicine and the

University of Marseilles, France.

Researchers, working with rats, found that a component of venom from a

Caribbean sea anemone prevents paralysis in an experimental form of

multiple sclerosis. In some rats that were showing signs of paralysis,

their function was nearly fully restored.

While the venom doesn’t last very long in the bloodstream -- reducing

its effectiveness as a therapeutic drug -- researchers are looking for

chemically similar substances that have a longer life span.