What can be a poison in one form can be therapeutic in another, which begins to explain why researchers would look to the biotoxins produced by warm water dwelling snails for solutions to chronic pain and a host of other neurological conditions in humans.

The venom of some snails has been shown to be 1000 times as powerful as morphine, a potent painkiller. Other snail venoms could be used as potent pharmaceuticals, and could be effective in treating postsurgical and neuropathic pain, and even accelerating recovery from nerve injury. But research into these potential uses is still in early phases. As recently as December 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved a painkiller derived from cone snail toxins  under the name “Prialt.” Other drugs are in clinical and preclinical trials, such as compounds of toxins that may be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.

We have reached the 16th week of the weekly, online, video series “Chemistry Now,” and we’re sticking with nature as a source of interesting video and lessons. As we’ve written before, please view the video, try the lessons, and let us know what you think.

Photo: Richard Parker

Through the Chemistry Now series, NSTA and NBC Learn have teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create lessons related to common, physical objects in our world and the changes they undergo every day. The series also looks at the lives and work of scientists on the frontiers of 21st century chemistry.

Video: In this 21st Century Chemist profile City University of New York chemist Mande Holford explains her research on the toxins produced by venomous sea snails, and her work to synthesize these long-peptide toxins for eventual use in treating chronic pain in humans.

Middle school lesson: In Vinegar and Baking Soda Investigation, students investigate the chemical reaction of vinegar and baking soda, demonstrating prior knowledge of concepts of chemical changes, and the laboratory skills of measuring volume, mass, and temperature.

High school lesson: In Mystery Solution Identification, students learn about solubility rules and use this knowledge to identify unknown solutions.

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