Spiders could become an impotent man s best friend

There is a lot to be said of the effects that spiders have on humans. There's the psychological aspect, which often instills terror. After all, these beautiful creatures tend to be utterly alien in appearance to most humans, with their eight legs, arachnid body structures, and strange forms. Spider venom is also something that causes intense reactions, even though most spider species don't have venom that is potent enough to kill a human being. Sure, their venom is often very similar to nerve toxin, but only rarely will they be concentrated enough to be lethal to a human. However, if recent research and speculation is to be believed, spiders may soon become also find connections to human sexual health.

It is no secret that the Brazilian wandering spider, perhaps the most venomous spider in the world, has bitten humans before. It was noted that male victims often suffered various side effects to the neurotoxin-like venom. Among the more notable side effects included uncontrollable and highly uncomfortable erections, though these eventually led to impotence if the venom wasn't countered quickly enough. However, this side effect has prompted some researchers to look at the venom, to find out what component actually causes the erections and to see if a substitute for sexual health drug Viagra can be derived from it. The fact that the erections were described to be “unusually prolonged” suggests to some that the venom might, in fact, be more effective than Viagra.

However, this is only recent research. There are only a few pharmaceutical companies that are delving into this area of research, for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is that these erections (and other, potential sexual health benefits and impediments) are considered a side effect of the venom. This means that isolating the core toxin alone might not lead to what the companies are looking for. Another problem would be obtaining the venom itself, which is a daunting task. Despite being a known species, Brazilian wandering spiders are not known to be easy to catch, and the possibility of being bitten while attempting to grab one is relatively high. There are other spider species that cause similar effects with their venom, but these species were found to be in even more remote locations than the Brazilian wandering spider. This has not daunted some research groups, though. In theory, only a few specimens are needed to be caught in the wild; just enough to be able to successfully breed them in captivity.

The venom itself can be marketed as an alternate for sexual health medications such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. While Viagra is effective enough in a large number of cases, there are some patients who do not show any appreciable effects due to the drug. There are several factors that can contribute to it being ineffective, often forcing doctors to recommend either Levitra or Cialis. However, the latter two have also been found ineffective in most cases where Viagra has failed, with some rare instances where the new drugs caused further damage. It is believed possible that a sexual health drug derived from the spider venom might be a working alternative to the above medications.