Brazilian Spider Bite May Become the Next Viagra

An anonymous reader writes "Scientists believe a spider could lead to a breakthrough in sexual health after finding a single bite can cause a four-hour erection. According to the report, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia believe the venom of the Brazilian wandering spider could lead to a new cure for erectile dysfunction. Dr Kenia Nunes, a physiologist at the college, said it works in a different way to Viagra. 'This is good because we know that some patients don't respond to the conventional therapy. This could be an optional treatment for them,' she said. Her study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, involved experiments using hypertensive rats with severe erectile dysfunction."

Comments

Four hour erection?

[areusche]

That is by far the worst possible thing that can happen to any man. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/priapism/hic_priapism.aspx

This could make Spider-Man IV interesting...

[GodfatherofSoul]

Can't wait to see this origin story played out on the big screen!

Dubious aprodisiac

[NoobixCube]

I'll stick to my human horn, thanks.

I was bitten in the toe

[mangu]

BTW, where does the spider need to bite them?

I was bitten by a P. Nigriventer once in Brazil, I was walking through a lawn wearing flip-flops and it bit me in the toe. I think I was fortunate that it wasn't in the "armed" position, so the bite just glanced me and I didn't get the full poison load. I stepped on the spider to kill it and a biologist neighbor identified it for me.

I had a painful toe for a few hours, but that was all.

Can't say about the sex boost, since I was 16 at the time and a nearly continuous hard on is a fact of life at that age.

The Nigriventer is so deadly because of the large amount of poison it can inject, up to 8 ml. I knew a family who lost a 4 year old soon to a bite. The spider was hidden in the child's shoe and bit him in the foot. A good practice in the country in Brazil is to shake boots and shoes before wearing them.
 

Re:I was bitten in the toe

[Walt Dismal]

Above poster has not yet run into the deadly Alaskan Micro Shoe-Bear. Only 1 inch tall, it is the most feared mammal of its kind. Not only does it have claws but also a stinger. Once it stings your toe, you will have a toe-erection that lasts for life. Often, it knocks down cabin doors in search of booze and loose women, and if finding none, wreaks havoc on any karaoki equipment you may have in the cabin. I dunno why Wikipedia keeps rejecting my entry on this, it's based on years of scientific research.

Re:4 hour erection?

[thrillseeker]

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip.
That started from a spider bite,
aboard his tiny d....

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
but had troubles in his bilge.
He went to get help that day,
for a four hour score.
a four hour score.

The activity started getting rough,
the tiny man was a hoss.
If not for the courage of fearless {Ginger|Mary Ann},
his minnow would be lost,
his minnow would be lost.

Side effects include

[Drakkenmensch]

... itch and irritation at the bite area, headaches, nausea, searing pain, complete paralysis, organ liquefaction, tissue necrosis, death and priapism. Spider venom is not for everyone. Consult your physician if you survive an erection more than 1 hour long.