The banana spider, aka wandering spider or armed spider, is one of the most poisonous in the world. 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.
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