Banana spider poison could aid erectile dysfunction treatment

Picture of a banana spider in a container where it is kept at FUNED (Foundation Ezequiel Dias) during the research to develop a medicine to treat erectile dysfunction using the spider venom at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on September 21, 2023. Three decades ago, Brazilian researchers began studying a curious side-effect of the bite of the banana spider: the toxin left victims with priapism, a painful and persistent erection. — Photo: AFP

Three decades ago, Brazilian researchers began studying a curious side effect from banana spider bites: the toxin left victims with priapism, a painful and persistent erection.

The scientists were inspired to develop a synthetic molecule using some properties of the spider's poison to create a gel to treat erectile dysfunction, which is now undergoing promising clinical trials.