Tiny scorpion-derived proteins deliver arthritis drugs to joints

A minute protein in scorpion venom that rapidly accumulates in joint cartilage has been linked with steroids to reverse arthritis inflammation in arthritis. The drugs concentrated in the joints, potentially avoiding the body-wide toxicities and infection risks caused by non-targeted treatment.

“For people with multi-joint arthritis, the side effects of controlling the disease can be as bad or worse than the disease itself,” says the  senior scientist involved in the research, Dr Jim Olson. “Steroids like to go everywhere in the body except where they’re needed most. This is a strategy to improve arthritis relief with minimal systemic side effects.”

Although only used in animal studies so far, the treatment is promising and one to watch out for.

Click here to read the original research.

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