Cobra venom neutralised by common blood-thinning drug Heparin

Lead author, PhD student Tian Du, also from the University of Sydney, called it a big step forward.

“Heparin is inexpensive, ubiquitous and a World Health Organization-listed essential medicine,” she said.

“After successful human trials, it could be rolled out relatively quickly to become a cheap, safe and effective drug for treating cobra bites.”

Another of the scientists, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions head Prof Nicholas Casewell, said: “Snakebites remain the deadliest of the neglected tropical diseases, with its burden landing overwhelmingly on rural communities in low- and middle-income countries.

“Our findings are exciting because current antivenoms are largely ineffective against severe local envenoming, which involves painful progressive swelling, blistering and/or tissue necrosis around the bite site.

“This can lead to loss of limb function, amputation and lifelong disability.”