Tick saliva could hold cancer cure: Brazilian scientists

Tick saliva could hold cancer cure: Brazilian scientists

news.yahoo.com

SAO PAULO (AFP) – It may be one of nature's repulsive little blood-sucking parasites, but the humble tick could yield a future cure for cancers of the skin, liver and pancreas, Brazilian researchers have discovered.

They have identified a protein in the saliva of a common South American tick, Amblyomma cajennense, that apparently reduces and can even eradicate cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

"This is a radical innovation," said Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi, the molecular biologist at the Instituto Butantan in Sao Paulo who is leading the research.

"The compon

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I really hope this works, and they find a wy for it to work on other cancer instead of these ones that it's working for so far.. It's a great start! With nanotechnology, maybe they can biologically engineer mass quanities of tick saliva? I really hope a cure is found soon. Maybe it will be able to be used in hospitals?

Does anyone knows of leeches and musquitos have that same capability?

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Phlynx


I would think that it would take a brazilion ticks to get enough saliva to make one dose.

(sometimes these things write themselves)

Great find Phlynx!! s & f for you.

Spacepunk, great call.

Zosynspiracy.........true, but survival is built into us. If we wernt so advanced, mother nature can be a harsh place to exist, then it would be us against the earth, but yes unfortunately we abuse our position mostly due to overpopulation. Balance is something humans need to attain.

reply to post by scubagravy


Survival? LMAO! We conquered survival hundreds of years ago. You make it sound like we are homo erectus living in cave huts trying to invent fire. My point is we have more than enough technology, science etc. to live in peace, for everyone to have plenty of food, plenty of shelter, plenty of medicine, etc. There is no need to live like gluttons. Just because we can doesn't mean we should. It's kind of like riding your bike to the store. You know you can drive a car but there is something wonderful about riding your bike. The exercise, the fresh air, the impact on the environment.

We are........despite our so called development as a species.....stuck at a 2nd grade level.......we are still pooping in our cribs, throwing tantrums, spilling our food, and breaking things. It would make us gasp if we as a species realized our potential and "grew up".

reply to post by Zosynspiracy


That was the silliest comment i've ever read on ATS. It's pretty obvious that no one close to you has ever had Cancer. I can't believe someone gave you a star for that comment.

I really hope this can lead to a cure for cancer. My little cousin is currently fighting this dreadful disease.

Great find Phlynx, thank you!

[edit on 28-8-2009 by matic21]

[edit on 28-8-2009 by matic21]

reply to post by Zosynspiracy


Instead of demonizing humanity , do something about it

Whining won´t change a thing , many people in todays world have been conditioned to think stupidly , and even though they have the potential , it is quite hard to break off this line of thought.

Information is everything!

This probably is the 100th cure of cancer ever found , will probably go to waste like the other 99

reply to post by Roufas



I agree. There are many cures out there but of course the FDA always has something to say about these promising cures. I hope this one does not go unnoticed

[edit on 28-8-2009 by 4thefight]

Well, nice to see that those pesky little critters are good for something, I've had more than 10 tick bites in the past year, they are really abundant in some places here in Holland.

All we need to do is breed Great Dane sized ticks and wave some virgin unlotioned skin in front of them, and put dog collars on them with built in saliva/obsessive-dog-like-drool catching canisters

It's always good to hear of such things. I had cancer when I was 12, and I'm 23 now. It hasn't come back... but who knows. I'm just hoping that if it does come back there will be a cure waiting.

Wow, Zysynpiracy, amazinghow you can turn a somewhat complemented and an added theory apon your own to turn it into a negative. Perhaps instead of trying to ride your bike, you should concentrate on comprehension. Im a Bricklayer, typing etc is new to me, but knowing that the average Joe is being #ed over.... is not. I hope your bicycle takes you places. I hope your not stuck in the world of the Goonies!!!!. Goonies forever bro !!!

Note, i was the first MF to satr and flag your efforts. Beyond this, control is yours .....

[edit on 29/8/2009 by scubagravy]

Wow, a cure would be great. If leeches and mosquitoes have the same stuff in their saliva it must be the anti-coagulant. BTW Spacepunk, you stole my band name that we've had since '76, just so ya know..

There is this sweet little cat living with me. Every year in the summer there are plenty of these suckers sitting on her. So I was always nagging around how needless they are while removing them. It would be great if science discovers such great skills for the type of ticks we have in Europe too. The species we have is unfortunately more known to be the carrier for Lyme desease, which is quite dangerous..

reply to post by Phlynx



At last a cure has to be found.

I get bored of hearing all the times about cancer....

Originally posted by SpacePunk
reply to post by Phlynx

 

I would think that it would take a brazilion ticks to get enough saliva to make one dose.

(sometimes these things write themselves)

That's where synthetics come into play. They can synthesize this.

wait, I thought lemon juice already cures cancer?
google it.