People suffering from back pain could potentially find relief from a recently discovered sea anemone neurotoxin, new research reports.
The toxin found in venomous sea anemones, a group of predatory marine animals, was recently discovered by researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
The previously unknown poison is one of 84 that makes up the stinging cells found in the animals' structure.
Scientists said the toxin could be developed to treat pain from conditions like chronic back pain, Wales Online reported.
Animal venoms had been used to treat humans throughout history, with snake venom administered medicinally as early as the seventh century BC.
The study found this species of reef-based sea anemone, that can grow from 8 to 10cm, has different venoms produced for biological functions.
In this sea anemone, Telmatactis stephensoni, toxins were located at sites that corresponded to their function of defence, predation and digestion.
The newly discovered toxin was found in the gastrodermis, the lining membrane, which indicates it could be involved in digestion.
QUT Associate Professor Peter Prentis said: "If we can isolate the neurotoxin and find the nerve cell receptor it activates, we could potentially develop a blocker to stop activation and treat conditions such as chronic back pain.
"This means the toxins in the acontia – long, stinging thread used to ward off would-be predators that cause intense pain to marine animals as well as humans – could be a source of an 'antidote' to some types of chronic pain.
"This new strategy allows for the discovery of peptides that might have remained undiscovered, for example, those which may not be highly abundant in the venom or which possess unanticipated mechanisms of action."
He added: "Toxin-driven discovery to find therapeutic candidates, however, can be like finding a needle in a haystack and not all peptide toxins are likely to have the same success as pharmaceuticals."
Doctoral researcher Lauren Ashwood, from the Queensland University of Technology, said: "Unlike snakes which deliver their venom via fangs, T. stephensoni venom is a complex cocktail of toxins that is found in stinging cells throughout the sea anemone's structure.
"Analysis of the sea anemone's three major functional regions: the tentacles, epidermis and gastrodermis – found the locations of toxin production are consistent with their ecological role of catching prey, defence and digestion."
"This means when we study the toxins in the context of what they do, we have an idea of how they might be useful for therapeutics.
"Peptide toxins from venomous animals are being developed into therapeutics for conditions, including cardiovascular disorders, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, wound healing, HIV, cancer and chronic pain.
Dr Ashwood continued: "In all we found 84 potential toxins in T. stephensoni including one that hadn't been seen before. A sample of this unknown toxin, named U-Tstx-1, has been sent to a specialised lab in Hungary for analysis.
"Given that this toxin was found in the gastrodermis of the sea anemone it could be involved in digestion – it could be a new type of co-lipase, enzymes that break down fat.
"This toxin could also be similar to a toxin in the venom of black mamba snakes that stimulates intestinal muscle contractions."
The study was published in Molecular Ecology.
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