KHALEEJ TIMES (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) 23 November 06 Doctors put bite on snake venom for stroke treatment
Paris (AFP): Ancrod, an anti-clotting drug derived from the venom of Malaysian pit vipers, is only effective in treating stroke victims if given within three hours, according to a study that appears in Saturday’s Lancet.
European doctors assessed ancrod, when administered within six hours of a stroke, against a harmless lookalike compound, called a placebo, among 1,220 patients in Europe, Australia and Israel.
No significant benefit was found when the drug was administered beyond three hours, according to the paper.
It also highlighted risks of haemorrhage and problems with neurological recovery among the ancrod group compared with the placebo group.
Ancrod, branded as Arwin and Viprinex, is an anticoagulant, intended to thin blood viscosity in arteries affected by ischaemic stroke, thus helping to ease pain, improve limb mobility and combat the risk of localised blood clots.
An ischaemic stroke happens when a clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain, causing brain cells in the affected area to be damaged or die from oxygen starvation.

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