Deadly fish poison may ease pain


Canwest News Service


November 15, 2004


Puffer-fish poison that is 10,000 times more deadly than cyanide might
hold the key to a promising new pain medication undergoing tests in
Vancouver and across the country.

The B.C. Cancer Agency, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and
Vancouver's St. Paul's Hospital are working with Vancouver-based Wex
Pharmaceutical on testing the efficacy of tetrodin, derived from the
deadly poison tetrodoxin found in puffer fish (also known as fugu), in
treating uncontrollable but stable pain. Fugu is a popular, though
daring, dish in Japan where only specially licensed chefs are allowed to
prepare and sell it.

One puffer fish has enough poison in it to kill 30 adults.

Tetrodin is up to 3,000 times stronger than morphine, and is so powerful
a single dose is too small to see with the naked eye.

C The Gazette (Montreal) 2004








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