No snappy answers

Scientists are investigating why crocodiles seem to heal quickly from injuries, to see if anything can be learned that could be applied to human illnesses:

It has been known for some time that these animals heal serious injuries rapidly and almost without infection.

More recently, tests showed alligator blood has strong antibacterial powers.

Of course, it’s not easy: even if they isolate something in the crocodile blood that helps crocodiles, it can’t be directly used in humans. Consequently the scientists don’t yet have much to sink their teeth into:

"But there is really no clinical utility because I can't isolate them from alligators and inject them into your veins because your body would recognise that it was not human."

Instead, he hopes to be able find something in the crocodile and alligator blood that can be mimicked in a drug, and has begun to look at white blood cells - the cells that flock to fight invading pathogens.

White blood cells make and release tiny proteins to fight the infection and Dr Merchant believes that, if he can isolate these from the animals, it might point a way to making new antibiotics and antiviral drugs for humans.

Still, that is how real science works – evidence based, step by step, all driven by knowledge of how the body actually works.

Compare that with the “Antidote” product that I still get junk emails about. Standard pseudoscience: a lot of impressive-sounding language coupled with extraordinary claims for the product, none of which is backed by any evidence.

You can now expect these “Antidote” people (and no-doubt numerous other quacks), to latch on to this to get a free ride. The real scientists, naturally, are not amused. One of the scientists in the study, Adam Britton, snaps:

A recent spate of spam mails advertising a product called "The Antidote" has people contacting me asking whether it's genuine. The manufacturers claim that it is based on the "crocodillin" antibiotic that I helped discover in 1998 and strongly imply that we endorse their product. This is not true. I would like to clarify that "The Antidote" is not associated with our "crocodillin" research and at no time have I endorsed such a product. I understand that the BBC are considering legal action, which should tell you everything you need to know.

Any real antidote, if there is one to be had, will come from the work of real scientists like Britton and Merchant, not from the quacks at crocinamillion. Accept no substitutes. 

One more bad pun and that arm's coming off.

Comments

[LBBP]

Nicely put. Good post.

[Defensin]

Uh-Oh. Better not let the DAN! (Destroy Autistics Now!) Doktors get ahold of this story. They'll trade in their carpet bags for alligator luggage as they shed crocodile tears over the senseless loss of life. Move those bank accounts to the Caiman Islands.

***Any resemblance to cold blooded reptiles either living or dead is purely intentional ***

[beajerry]

If we'd been around for millions of years, we'd have that righteous alligator blood too!

[Prometheus]

Not to cross-over to another topic, but it could very well be that crocodiles have evolved to heal faster and be resistant to infections.

Considering their dinnertime interactions with conspecifics (their table manners are atrocious - and I'm not talking about elbows on the table!), there would be a distinct selection pressure in favor of fast healing and infection resistance.

After all, if they could evolve from an apparent endotherm back to an ectotherm in order to practice lay-in-wait feeding, the other features should be a cinch.

I figure it's just a matter of time before some quack in Florida decides that alligators are "close enough" to crocodiles and starts "harvesting" them for their "amazing immune system booster".

Prometheus.