Different Applications of the Spider's Venom

Of the 40,000 plus known spider species today, less than 500 have been cleared from venom, the rest are considered to be venomous and dangerous to most insects, small animals and to the other spiders themselves. Fortunately, only four spider groups have been identified to produce venom that is lethal to the human body and the amount of venom that these spiders can inflict to their human victims is not even enough to cause serious health problems. Nevertheless, this fact does not make spiders any less significant. In fact, thousands of scientists have already spent their lifetimes just to study these tiny, little creatures. This keen interest to spiders has given us, humans, insights as to how we can take advantage of spiders, most specifically their silk and their venom.

To date, scientists have already made significant advancements in the development of a fibre that closely resembles that of a spider's silk. Although we have not really replicated the actual silk produced by spiders, we have done as much as producing a synthetic fibre that can be produced using plants. Moreover, we have also succeeded in extracting spider silk from spiders without harming them. The spider venom has also become a great deal to a lot of scientists too. Many of the brilliants of this generation have dedicated their laboratories for the sole purpose of studying spider venoms and their possible use to mankind.

Because of their size and the amount of venom that they can produce, it is quite arduous for scientists to study spider venoms. To make their researches systematic, they need to apply either of the following strategies: (1) scientists can wait for the spiders to naturally excrete their venom through their glands or (2) scientists will have to artificially break down the venom excreted by the spider and find out for themselves how these venom are excreted. To execute the first strategy, scientists have to stimulate their spider subjects through light electrical shocks. Under normal circumstances, spiders would release their venom within 24 hours. This venom contains traces of the spider's genetic fragments. Through these fragments, scientists will be able to re-create the overall genetic make-up of the venom. These samples will then be used to assess whatever medical application on which the venom might be proven useful.

The second strategy involves the meticulous work of separating the individual components found in an artificially broken down venom sample. Each of the ingredients making up the venom sample will then be compared to the molecular data of all the spider venoms studied in the past. Although this method appears to be easier than the previous one, this method is actually a lot more difficult to execute than the first one because the current spider data database that is existent is still scarce of data. Moreover, each spider venom sample may have at least 4000 distinct ingredients or components which would take years for a scientist to individually compare to an incomplete raw data.

Apart from the actual study of the venoms, scientists also bother to record every detail that they find out into the ever evolving spider history database of all the spider species known to mankind to date. The scientists are convinced that is plotting out an evolution tree of spiders will help mankind someday. While the goal of this arduous endeavour is still not completely grasp, scientists are quite convicted to whatever reasons that they have for doing such a thing.

Scientists have already identified three major applications of the spider's venom, these are: (1) As pesticides, (2) as a preventive drug for Atrial Fibrillation and (3) brain damage prevention. In all three applications, scientists have not yet developed a way to mass-produce venom-based products. While they are already able to harness venom from spiders without harming them, they are still not able to extract enough venom to merit an industry-scale application. For this reason, the use of venom in all three applications is still limited laboratory and private usage.

Nevertheless, the facts that we know about spiders is enough to help us realize that spiders play an important role in mankind's existence. It may not be today, but a time will come when we will be able to fully grasp the extent of this help and completely appreciate these creatures to what they are and to what they can do for us. From the silk that they produce to the venom that they excrete, all these natural by-products of spiders have been consistently found to be excellent addition to whatever breakthroughs that we humans have already achieved. Even their simple eating habits have greatly helped us too (insect and disease control).

Now that spiders are slowly making it big in the medical industry, all that we can do is to wait for our own experts to finally uncover everything that these spiders have to offer. Those with Arachnophobia might as well want to stand close and see for themselves what they object of fear can do, and then maybe they will realize that spiders are not that fearsome after all. Nobody is telling anybody that spiders should be loved instead of being loathed, what is simply emphasized here is that our attitude towards spiders should be based on what they think is right for them (with all the factors considered). That is, if ever you spot a spider in your house, do not freak out and immediately consider spider extermination on the spot. Many experts agree that exterminating spiders is not really necessary.

In most of the cases, spiders just have to be captured and set free outside your house. There are many ways to capture a spider without harming them, if you have no idea how, simply make a little research about it or look for useful articles down there in my archive. If you have Arachnophobia (if you just killed a spider, you can't pretend that you have Arachnophobia because if you really do, you will not be able to do so), ask a friend to catch and free the spider for you.