Venomous Centipede Could be Game-Changer and Save Lives of People with Kidney Disease [Study]

Kidney disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and other parts of the world, killing millions of people each year, according to health authorities. The chronic medical condition involves damaged or reduced kidney function, affecting one or both of the bean-shaped organs. The ailment can also be caused by various factors, including dehydration and obesity.

Located below the rib cage, the kidney removes our waste and extra water from our body. However, the organ is vulnerable to a wide range of internal conditions and external forces, including blunt trauma or penetrating trauma. Due to this threat, health experts and authorities in the field of medicine have developed methods to prevent or treat chronic kidney disease.

Now, a recent study led by scientists in China found that the venomous centipede, known as the Chinese red-headed centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans), can help in the treatment of kidney disease and save the lives of people suffering from it. Specifically, researchers determined that the centipede species contain special chemicals called "alkaloids" that fight the disease.

Venomous Centipede Chemical

In the study published in the Journal of Natural Products on April 10, researchers concluded that the venomous centipede chemical alkaloid can reduce inflammation (swelling) and fibrosis (scarring) in kidney cell culture. In the research paper, the team discovered that the red centipede contained 12 new alkaloid compounds, some of which have anti-inflammatory and anti-renal-fibrosis properties.

The compounds, along with six known analogues, were separated from the centipede and identified through analysis. The researchers used spectroscopic data, quantum chemical, and computational methods. Furthermore, the paper found that a certain protein within the cells during renal fibrosis is targeted by one of the alkaloids, known as lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1).

The April 2024 study provides insight into the utilization of some animals, in addition to plants, in medicine. For instance, the Chinese red head centipede has been used before in the East Asian nation to treat ailments like heart disease, epilepsy, and tuberculosis. Meanwhile, centipedes in general have been used for hundreds of years in Chinese medicine against many disorders.

Chronic Kidney Disease

When it comes to chronic kidney disease (CKD), the condition involves the damage of the said organ and its inability to filter blood as it is supposed to do. Due to this health complication, excess fluid and waste from the blood are retained in the body; this can lead to other medical problems like heart disease and stroke, the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) reported.

In the US, approximately 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease and most of them are undiagnosed. Every 24 hours, around 360 people undergo dialysis treatment due to kidney failure, the CDC adds. Outside the US, approximately 10% of the global population is affected by kidney disease, where millions die annually, according to the National Kidney Foundation.