Komodo blood dragon will be made into new antibiotics

The antimicrobial agents of Komodo dragons may become an effective antibiotic in the future.

US scientists have discovered in the blood of Komodo dragons containing proteins called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) - a key component of the animal's immune system. This antibacterial helps them to be immune to the bite of the same type and rarely gets sick.

Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizard species that inhabit some of Indonesia's islands such as Komodo, Rinca or Flores. They can eat invertebrates to birds, mammals, deer, buffalo, even scavengers.

Komodo dragon saliva contains toxins and more than 50 different strains of bacteria, but in the blood of this animal contains extremely powerful antibacterial substances.(Photo: The Sun).

Komodo dragons have a very large body size. An adult can weigh up to 90kg and is 2.5m long. They have the ability to crush a deer's bones with a single tap, but the most powerful weapon is bites. The reason is that the Komodo dragon's saliva contains toxins and more than 50 different strains of bacteria. The bite of this giant lizard species is so toxic, that only one bite can kill larger prey than they have many times.

According to scientists, the AMP in dragon blood may be one of the options to replace antibiotics thanks to the strong effect of killing many strains of bacteria. This is a strong step in medicine, as some antibiotics are currently losing their effectiveness because bacteria have developed resistance to drugs.

Barney Bishop, a chemical expert at George Mason University (Virginia, USA), discovered the characteristics of AMPs in the blood of Komodo dragons in 2013, said: 'If we can find out The way to help Komodo dragons fight off bacteria can use that knowledge to develop new strains of antibiotics. '

The Komodo dragon project by Bishop and colleagues began in 2012, with a grant of $ 7.6 million. Bishop took blood samples from the tails of an adult captive Komodo dragon in Florida due to no conditions for their homeland in Indonesia.

After analyzing and synthesizing, Bishop and his team have identified more than 200 peptides in Komodo blood dragon that has never been discovered before.

One of the peptides in Komodo dragon blood is being used to create DRGN-1 synthetic substance , capable of breaking down the bacterial membrane that forms on the surface of the wound, preventing self-healing. treatment of the body. When applying the DRGN-1 test on bacterial infection, the researchers found that the wound healed faster than when not in use.

Komodo dragon blood has antibacterial properties that help them to be immune to the bite of the same type and very rarely get sick.

The researchers hope to find other potential drugs based on the analysis of Komodo dragon blood, as well as in the blood of saltwater crocodiles. So far, researchers have identified 48 types of potential AMPs found in Komodo dragon blood that were previously discovered.

These discoveries may be a precursor to the development of pharmaceuticals, which help treat some common diseases such as pneumonia, acne or fight biological weapons like anthrax.

According to the World Health Organization, the number of antibiotic-resistant infections kills about 700,000 people worldwide each year and is expected to increase to 10 million annually by 2050. WHO says resistance status Antibiotics of bacteria are increasing, making it difficult to treat some common infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood infection or gonorrhea.