Alligator Blood May Be Source of New Antibiotics

esocid writes "Biochemists from McNeese State University have described how proteins in gator blood may provide a source of powerful new antibiotics to help fight infections associated with diabetic ulcers and severe burns. This new class of drug could also crack so-called 'superbugs' that are resistant to conventional medication. Previous studies have showed alligators have an unusually strong immune system; unlike humans, alligator immune systems can defend against microorganisms such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria without having prior exposure to them. Scientists believe that this is an evolutionary adaptation to promote quick wound healing, as alligators are often injured during fierce territorial battles."

Comments

I guess what's old is new again.

[b4dc0d3r]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4155522.stm

About three and a half years ago he tested alligator blood and pinpointed why these animals were so resistant to infection. Alligators and crocodiles, like humans, have a natural defence system against invading bacteria, viruses and fungi, which involves a group of proteins called the complement system. When Dr Merchant exposed the alligator blood to pathogens such as HIV, West Nile Virus and E Coli, it started to kill them. "It turns out that this complement system is much more effective than ours.

and that was already 3 years old.

Re:I guess what's old is new again.

[krayzkrok]

I made the initial discovery with saltwater crocodiles back in 1999, and my colleague Dr Gill Diamond named the peptide "crocodillin". So this is really a decade old now!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/680840.stm

Adam Britton

Maybe because you have read about it before:

[Maddog Batty]

Crocodile's Immune System Kills HIV - story from 2005

Re:Maybe because you have read about it before:

[krayzkrok]

Yes, that's the research I was involved in. We actually first discovered this way back in 1999! We tested serum activity (and lysed leucocytes) in Australian saltwater crocodiles and later in 2002 in Australian freshwater crocodiles. We called this antimicrobial peptide "crocodillin". The work from 2005 comes from a project I did with Mark Merchant on saltwater crocs where we tried to learn more about the antimicrobial and antiviral activity. This latest media release is essential the same as the previous work, except this time with American alligators because Mark has more of them in the backyard than he does saltwater crocs. Adam

Re:Have you seen where these things live?

[Mordac]

And for those of you who are making all of the croc meat jokes, keep in mind that croc meat is tough, stringy, and lacking in flavor compared to other meats. Alligator meat from Louisana is darn good eats.

Their legs can be treated like Buffalo Wings, very tasty.

The tail is the most popular part, as thats used much like chicken tenders. Most people enjoy fried gator tail. You can go back further up on its back, for the tenderloin, but not as good.

Last part I've tried is the ribs. Very similar to baby back ribs, its a white meat, no question about it when eating the ribs. Yes, the amount of meat to bone isn't all that good, but its good enough to enjoy a slow smoking.

Alligator really is the other other white meat, and one of my favourites.

Re:Cue TMNTs

[John Newman]

Really? I thought that once you had them in a warm environment, alcohol would help increase circulation and even out body temperature. Or perhaps it will cause a sudden rush to the heart of cold blood that was near the skin. I've not got any training in cold weather rescue, so excuse my ignorance.

Alcohol is a mild vasodilator, so it would reverse your body's major defense against cold, restricting blood flow to the extremities/surface and keeping a pool of warm blood in the core. Even after the person is in a warm environment, vasodilation is dangerous because the extremities/skin are cold, the blood there is cold, and suddenly moving a bunch of warm core blood through the cold extremities and back will lower the core temperature further. The teaching is that this could kill a patient by pushing their core temperature down suddenly, past the critical value. When resuscitating a severely hypothermic patient, you always warm from the inside out, and you never give vasodilators.