Intriguingly, the Journal of Sexual Medicine has recently published a study which suggests that the venom released by the Brazilian wandering spider might cure the problem of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. And it’s all down to a peptide found in the spider’s venom which has been shown to improve sexual function in rats by increasing blood flow to the penis. A toxin found in the venom increased the amount of nitric oxide available in the body. Nitric oxide is a chemical that is responsible for blood vessel dilation and essential for the formation of an erection. As we age, the availability of this chemical decreases, inhibiting the expansion of blood vessels in response to sexual arousal. This deficiency of nitric oxide is quite often the cause of age related erectile dysfunction.
As strange as all this sounds, it seems quite plausible that spider venom could in fact cure erectile dysfunction. So far it works on rats and it is quite possible the toxin will have the same effect on men. The injection of the peptide got working between 15 and 20 minutes: very quickly when compared with other ED treatments on the market such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. There are plenty of drugs on the market for the treatment of this condition however not all men respond to common treatments so research like this is exciting.
We believe that the properties of the peptide within the venom, was discovered after men who were bitten by the spider suffered priapism (a prolonged erection that can cause damage to the blood vessels in the penis). A lot of new drugs are discovered completely by accident so this could be the beginning of some very interesting research and development but don’t hold your breath.