# Skin cream slows down snake venom



## Fuscus (Jul 5, 2011)

From the info provided in this ( short ) article ( perfect for those amongst us with a minimal attention span ) I will stick with pressure bandages, they are far more effective. Still that won't stop some people marketing this as a cure-all, or am I being a tad too suspicious? 
Skin cream slows down snake venom - health - 02 July 2011 - New Scientist


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## snakelady-viper (Jul 5, 2011)

Iam also with the pressure bandage


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## moosenoose (Jul 5, 2011)

Geeesh, they're either in Myer getting it injected into their faces or whinging about it! Venom, you can't have it both ways :lol:


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## Tristan (Jul 5, 2011)

wont that only work for certain types of venom? and only if the venom did not enter the blood stream at the bite site? some venom's can cause more localized damage the longer they stay in one area


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## Fuscus (Jul 5, 2011)

Tristan said:


> wont that only work for certain types of venom? and only if the venom did not enter the blood stream at the bite site? some venom's can cause more localized damage the longer they stay in one area


As stated in the article it works by stopping the pumping of the lymphatic system, which is the route Australian snake venom uses. This is exactly how a pressure bandage works.


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## waruikazi (Jul 5, 2011)

Am i the only one who straight away thought that this cream should be impregnated into pressure bandages? That sounds logical to me.


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## jack (Jul 5, 2011)

and then you could do a cool party trick by throwing a bandage in a bonfire... the active ingredient in the cream is nitroglycerin


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## waruikazi (Jul 5, 2011)

jack said:


> and then you could do a cool party trick by throwing a bandage in a bonfire... the active ingredient in the cream is nitroglycerin



Or set it on fire while wearing it, that would be a cooler party trick!


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## unicorns_dreams (Jul 5, 2011)

I'll stick to the bandages.


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## fugawi (Jul 5, 2011)

There you go....we have it all worked out.......First put skin cream on it, then wrap the skin cream infused bandage on it and lastly cauterise the wound by setting it alight. Then put video on you tube as an epic fail.;P LOL

Who needs scientists.......


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## slim6y (Jul 5, 2011)

Studies done on mice (where's mmfan when you want to hear some comment that isn't required) - so who's going to be the humans to try this - giving them 50% more time to get help (can drive slower.... get a coffee... Enjoy a scenic trip to Cairns Base Hospital... The helicopter can take you for a trip over the reef before dropping you at the hospital)...

I am still waiting to hear results from JCU on the correct pressure required for a pressure bandage to be applied (a friend of my daughters mother is involved in this test).


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## Firepac (Jul 5, 2011)

jack said:


> and then you could do a cool party trick by throwing a bandage in a bonfire... the active ingredient in the cream is nitroglycerin



Someone needs to back to chemistry class...since when has Nitric Oxide (NO) been the same as nitroglycerin ( C3H5(NO3)3 )??


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## Jen (Jul 5, 2011)

slim6y said:


> Studies done on mice (where's mmfan when you want to hear some comment that isn't required) - so who's going to be the humans to try this - giving them 50% more time to get help (can drive slower.... get a coffee... Enjoy a scenic trip to Cairns Base Hospital... The helicopter can take you for a trip over the reef before dropping you at the hospital)...



How did they get the mice to drive slower? All the mice I know are lead footed speed freaks


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## Tsubakai (Jul 5, 2011)

Firepac said:


> Someone needs to back to chemistry class...since when has Nitric Oxide (NO) been the same as nitroglycerin ( C3H5(NO3)3 )??



Have a bit of a more in depth look - it actually used a nitric oxide donor, in this case GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) so technically i think jack is correct. This link is to the supplemental info that has the details http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/extref/nm.2382-S1.pdf - although the proprietary cream they used is called 'Rectogesic' so I think its original purpose was somewhat more internal.


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## Firepac (Jul 6, 2011)

Tsubakai said:


> Have a bit of a more in depth look - it actually used a nitric oxide donor, in this case GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) so technically i think jack is correct. This link is to the supplemental info that has the details http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/extref/nm.2382-S1.pdf - although the proprietary cream they used is called 'Rectogesic' so I think its original purpose was somewhat more internal.


My apologies I didnt look to see how they incorporated NO ( a gas) into a topical cream I only looked at the mechanism by which it has effects on the body " NO acts through the stimulation of the soluble guanylate cyclase, which is a heterodimeric enzyme with subsequent formation of cyclic GMP. Cyclic GMP activates protein kinase G, which causes phosphorylation of myosin light chain phosphatase, and therefore inactivation of myosin light-chain kinase, and leads ultimately to the dephosphorylation of the myosin light chain, causing smooth muscle relaxation."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitric_oxide#cite_note-29


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## jack (Jul 6, 2011)

apology accepted. 
glyceryl trinitrate is nitroglycerin, however the concentration in that bum cream is less than 1% so no worries if you drop the stuff. there is an angina patch with the same compound, so in the future i imagine first aid for snake bite may include whacking on a patch as well as a bandage and staying still.


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## Fuscus (Jul 6, 2011)

OYI! You two - stop being reasonable to each other - its not the APS way 
Incidentally the combination of a patch and a pressure bandage appears to be a very good idea, assuming that they don't interfere with each other. Time and testing will tell.


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## Tsubakai (Jul 8, 2011)

Ever put a patch on? Most people would take it off within ten minutes as the headache that GTN causes is excruciating. If they develop a formulation that only delivers locally without systemic overflow it might be better but I doubt there is enough money in it to make it worth the cost for R&D.


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