A Chemical in Wasp Venom Might Kill Cancer Cells and Leave Healthy Cells Alone

Biophysical Journal has published a recent scientific research showing that specific wasp type may have other good purposes than just torturing Nicolas Cage in ‘The Wicked Game”.

The research discovered that at least one wasp specie has a venom with an ingredient able to target and significantly distort cancer cells.

The researchers explain that MP1, antimicrobial peptide Polybia-MP1, extracted from Polybia paulista, a Brazilian wasp, has manifested a selective hindrance against few types of cancer cells, which is why it can be incorporated in the creation of new chemotherapies.  It has vast range of bactericidal properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, without being cytotoxic and hemolytic.

So, what does this mean?

It means that the chemical in the wasp venom attacks the membranes of cancer cells, by exposing and eventually killing them.

And the best part is that this wasp venom chemical is completely harmless to noncancerous cells.

Most of the chemo drugs are practically poison, with the theory that as long as they harm your cells, they will harm the cancer cells even more. This is the reason why people on chemo therapy lose their hair.

The amazing thing about this wasp venom is that it targets only the cancer cells in the organism, while it leaves the healthy ones alone.

It’s good to know this, to avoid killing all wasps accidentally.

While bee populations throughout the world are endangered because of the climate change, temperature fluctuations cause irregularities in the population of wasps in many countries.

No matter how annoying they are on picnics, this is not a good news, since we need them.

The bottom line: We surely want to have such cancer treatment which destroys cancer cells while not hurting the healthy ones and not making cancer patients sick.

The more high-quality painless therapy choices, the better!