Cuban Experts Debate Scorpion Venom Use
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- Cienfuegos
- Events
- Health and Medicine
- 11 / 29 / 2007
Using scorpion venom for therapeutic objectives, especially to fight cancer, is the center of discussion by specialists from Havana's Pharmaceutical Biological Laboratories LABIOFAM.
Cuba is going forward in the use of scorpion venom and the experience obtained until now is being presented Wednesday in a national course on breeding, handling and use of scorpions.
The product, used mainly to treat tumors of the brain, pancreas and prostate, corresponds to the species Rhopalurus junceus, an autochthonous species in Cuba.
The Cienfuegos breeding center has 400 scorpions and expects to have nearly 5,000 species by the middle of next year, said Cuban specialist Fabio Linares.
Linares explained that to get the required quality, feeding was by drones and the scorpions maintained in good sanitary conditions.
A jug preserved in Colonial Havana's French Phamacy indicates that scorpion venom was used in Cuba since the 18th Century.
(PL)
Cuba is going forward in the use of scorpion venom and the experience obtained until now is being presented Wednesday in a national course on breeding, handling and use of scorpions.
The product, used mainly to treat tumors of the brain, pancreas and prostate, corresponds to the species Rhopalurus junceus, an autochthonous species in Cuba.
The Cienfuegos breeding center has 400 scorpions and expects to have nearly 5,000 species by the middle of next year, said Cuban specialist Fabio Linares.
Linares explained that to get the required quality, feeding was by drones and the scorpions maintained in good sanitary conditions.
A jug preserved in Colonial Havana's French Phamacy indicates that scorpion venom was used in Cuba since the 18th Century.
(PL)
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