Scots scientists claim that deadly scorpion venom could be key in tackling new variants of coronavirus.
Researchers at the University of Aberdeen say that they have discovered a ‘fascinating cocktail’ of poisons contained in scorpion stings.
They investigated scorpions found in the Egyptian desert, which were milked before being released back into the wild.
And while their venom contains peptides - many of which could be potentially fatal - they could also hold powerful antibacterial and antiviral qualities which protect the animal’s venomous gland from infection.
It is understood that these could serve as a good starting point to design anti-coronavirus drugs.
The project is supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund and led by Dr Wael Houssen, senior research fellow at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen, and Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, Professor of Molecular Toxinology and Physiology in the Zoology Department, Faculty of Science at the University of Suez Canal.
Dr Houssen said: "The study of scorpion venoms as a source of novel drugs is an exciting and productive area worthy of further investigation.
"We have already seen that these venoms contain extremely potent bioactive peptides, and we believe that there are many more awaiting discovery."
Professor Abdel-Rahman said: "Several scorpion species including the most toxic in the world are widespread in Egypt.
"Their venoms have not yet been fully studied and may represent an unorthodox source of new medicines."
They will now extract the useful chemicals from the venom and explore the potential in using them to fight Covid.
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