Brazilian Scientists Successfully Synthesize an Anti-Cancer Substance from Spider Venom
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Butantan Institute in Brazil recently issued a press release stating that a team participating in the institute studied a venomous spider from the coastal region of São Paulo State, Brazil. Within this spider's venom they discovered a polyamine substance that can fight cancer cells, and they have successfully synthesized and purified this substance in the laboratory. The researchers synthesized the polyamine from two known molecules, so it no longer needs to be obtained from spider venom.
The institute's release states that the compound in this spider venom can trigger the tumor-cell apoptosis mechanism, killing tumor cells by making cancer cells self-destruct in a controlled manner without causing an inflammatory response. The artificially synthesized compound has the same anti-tumor activity as the compound in the spider's natural venom; experiments show that the toxin still has anti-tumor effects against leukemia patients who have already become resistant to chemotherapy.
Spiders were also used as a Chinese medicinal in ancient China. Traditional TCM holds that spiders are bitter, cold in nature, and slightly toxic, enter the liver channel, and have the effects of expelling wind and resolving toxins, reducing swelling and dispersing nodules. They are mainly used for shan hernia with testicular descent, facial paralysis in stroke, infantile convulsion (man jing), locked jaw, infantile nutritional impairment (gan), throat wind with swelling and closure, dental gingivitis, ear discharge, carbuncles and furuncles, scrofula, malignant sores, hemorrhoids with fistula, rectal prolapse, and snake and insect bites.
Li Shizhen's *Compendium of Materia Medica* (Bencao Gangmu) records that spiders "treat facial deviation, rectal prolapse, sores and swelling, and body odor." The *Changsha Yaojie* records that spiders "break stasis and reduce swelling." The *Shenghui Fang* records a method for treating scrofula with spiders: "Take five large spiders, dry in the sun, grind finely, mix with ghee to the consistency of face cream, and apply twice daily." The *Qianjin Fang* records treating scrofulous nodules with pain: "For scrofulous nodules with pain, where an ulcer has already formed and discharges pus and water, take fourteen spiders, burn, and apply; it works well." The *Renzai Zhizhi Fanglun* records a method for treating malignant sores: "Dry the spiders in the sun, grind to powder, add light powder (calomel), and mix with sesame oil for application."
From these records we can see that ancient Chinese physicians also often used spiders to treat tumors or tuberculous diseases. Both ancient experience and modern research show that spiders have some anti-cancer effect; in the future, spider toxins may enter the clinic as a new anti-cancer drug.
Ancient texts also record that spiders can treat hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, and body odor. The *Yinan Zajian Jianfang* records experience treating hemorrhoids with spiders: "Take as many large spiders as needed (roast dry and grind to powder), add 1 fen of borneol, grind together, store in a porcelain container, and apply externally to the affected area. Even for foul, decaying, pus-and-blood-oozing sores, a scab forms within half a day and healing occurs in one day." The *Tiaoxie Leipian* records treating rectal prolapse: "Take a spider, pound into an oil, apply to the navel and dantian; effect is immediate." The *Sanyin Jiyi Bingzheng Fanglun* records using spiders: "For body odor that stinks so one cannot approach, take one large spider (make a clay nest with yellow clay and a little red halloysite, pounded very fine, add a little salt, and ram; place the spider inside, burn in fire until red-hot, cool, split open, and remove the spider), grind finely, add a pinch of light powder before bed, mix with strong vinegar into a paste, and apply to the armpits."
There are clinical reports using a folk prescription: make a hole in an egg, put in a spider (two for adults, one for children), seal the hole with paper, steam the egg in a pot, peel off the shell, remove the spider, and eat the egg, one daily, for 7–10 days as one course. Treating furuncles: among 51 patients treated, all were cured within one course.
Another report used dried dead spiders or spider webs ground to powder, mixed into an appropriate amount of sesame oil (or rapeseed oil) into a paste, applied to the surface of the rash twice daily. Five days constitute one course. Treating 96 cases of shingles, with antibiotics given concurrently for those with secondary infection, all patients were cured after one course: skin lesions scabbed and detached, and pain disappeared.