A pill for heavy metal poisoning may also save snakebite victims

In mice, an oral medication delayed or even prevented death after a lethal dose of viper venom

photograph of Sochurek's saw-scaled viper

A Sochurek's saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki) is one of the venomous snakes whose deadly bite seems to be neutralized by a drug developed to treat heavy metal poisoning, a mouse study suggests.

Wolfgang Wüster

Doctors have long sought a “snakebite pill” that can deliver life-prolonging medicine when and where it’s most needed.