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Gila Monster Venom in Diabetes

Scientists study wildlife in search of chemical compounds useful to human medicine. In particular, proteins found in animal venom and poison often lead researchers to the discovery of new drugs, including those that fight diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

  1. Diabetes Mellitus

    • Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a medical condition in which blood sugar cannot be controlled because the body does not use insulin normally. Insulin must be regulated to help move blood sugars to organs and other tissues where it is needed for energy.

    Gila Monsters

    • Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) are the only venomous lizard native to the United States. These large lizards–up to 5 pounds and 2 feet long–are found in southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. Gila monsters produce neurotoxic venom using modified saliva glands located in their lower jaw.

    Drug Discovery

    • The discovery that Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) saliva contains exendin-4, a protein useful in regulating insulin, led directly to the development of a synthetic protein (exenatide; marketed as Byetta) designed to help manage type 2 diabetes in humans. Although exenatide is 50 percent identical to a similar hormone found in the human digestive tract (glucagon-like peptide-1 analog; GLP-1) that helps regulate insulin, the synthetic version of the Gila monster’s protein remains effective much longer than the human form, which is why it is so valuable.

    Mode of Action

    • According to MedlinePlus, exenatide helps control type 2 diabetes by stimulating the pancreas to secrete insulin when blood sugar levels become high. Exenatide is not useful for the treatment of type 1 diabetes because type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin.

    Medical Benefits

    • Patients often show a sustained reduction in blood sugar and experience sustained, significant weight loss. According to an article in Science Daily, 76 percent of patients involved in a three-year study reached sustained glucose (blood sugar) levels of seven or less, which is considered healthy by the American Diabetic Association.

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