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The article discusses research that tested the efficacy of unithiol, a drug that treats heavy metal poisoning, in saving or extending the lives of mice injected with viper venom. The study was led by biomedical scientist Nicholas Casewell and was published in the May 6, 2020 issue of "Science Translational Medicine." Topics covered include physiological effect of venom, on how the toxins rely on zinc to function, and the ability of the drug to starve venom toxins of zinc.

The article discusses a pioneering field called venomics which is a science that uses cutting-edge methods to tease apart and catalog the ingredients of venom. Topics include an overview of the physiological impact of venom including muscle paralysis, low blood pressure, and seizures, an in-depth analysis of how venom works and what it is composed of, and the Brazilian viper as a model for toxicology research. Examples of venomous animals, such as the marine cone snails, are presented. INSETS: The snake's 'meat tenderizer';From defense to attack molecules.

The article discusses research by Angel Yanagihara and Ralph Shohet of the University of Hawaii in the December 12, 2012 online edition of "PLOS ONE" magazine reporting the effectiveness of zinc gluconate in counteracting the effects of venom from the sting of the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri). Topics include the physiological effect of C. fleckeri venom, the study's experimental design, and the physiological effects of zinc.

Focuses on an effort of Brad Vinson and co-workers at Texas A and M University in College Station, Texas to develop an immunization against red fire ant's venom. Effect of the sting on people who are hypersensitive to the venom; Investigation to determine which component of venom causes fatal shock in people.