Antidote discovered for one of Earth's most venomous animals

Scientists have discovered an antidote to the sting of one of the most venomous creatures on the planet, the Australian box jellyfish.

The Australian box jellyfish, also known as the sea wasp, has up to 60 tentacles which can grow as long as three metres.

These are covered in millions microscopic hooks which are filled with venom, and a single jellyfish carries enough venom to kill more than 60 humans.

New research by scientists at the University of Sydney were studying how the venom works when they discovered the antidote.

The sting is excruciatingly painful and has been compared to being branded with an iron. Enough venom has been known to send victims into cardiac arrest within minutes of the sting.

Signs on beaches along the northern Australian coast warn people of the risks of swimming during the summer months when the jellyfish breed.

Vinegar stations are common in these areas as the acetic acid in vinegar can deactivate the microscopic barbs if they have become stuck in a swimmer but haven't yet released their venom.

Now, the new medicine can block the symptoms of a box jellyfish sting if administered within 15 minutes of contact.

"Our antidote is a medicine that blocks the venom," said Associate Professor Neely.

"You need to get it onto the site within 15 minutes. In our study, we injected it. But the plan would be a spray or a topical cream," they explained.

"The argument against a cream is when you are stung it leaves lots of little stingers in you so if you rub the cream on it might be squeezing more venom into you. But if you spray, it could neutralise what's left outside of your body."

Their work, published in the journal Nature Communications, used a technique called CRISPR genome editing to identify how the venom works.

They discovered that the pathway used by the venom requires cholesterol to work, and so they decided to try and block that pathway with a drug that targeted cholesterol.

"We took one of those drugs, which we know is safe for human use, and we used it against the venom, and it worked," said Dr Raymond Lau, the lead author on the paper. "It's a molecular antidote."

"It's the first molecular dissection of how this type of venom works, and possible how any venom works," Dr Lau said. "I haven't seen a study like this for any other venom."

"We know the drug will stop the necrosis, skin scarring and the pain completely when applied to the skin," added Associate Professor Neely, who is the senior author on the paper.

"We don't know yet if it will stop a heart attack. That will need more research and we are applying for funding to continue this work."