Hallucinogenic Hero

A hallucinogenic substance found on the skin of some amphibians could help us to fight rabies. This chemical, bufotenine, is from a family of substances called alkaloids. Some alkaloids are found in humans, such as acetylcholine (ACh), which transmits signals between neurons. It’s thought that rabies hijacks one of the body’s own alkaloid receptors, known as nAChR, when it invades cells. Once rabies virions are inside the cell, they go on to replicate and then bud out to infect other cells, as shown here (rabies virions in red, host cell in green). When scientists administered bufotenine to cells, they found that it could completely block infection, possibly by binding to nAChR preventing rabies from entering. Bufotenine’s hallucinogenic properties make it unsuitable as a medicine, but it could be the basis for designing a similar molecule that can bind nAChR, without the side effects.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

Esther Redhouse White

Writer

A recent Biochemistry graduate from York, Esther has worked on bacterial killing proteins and genetic switches in worms. In her spare time she likes visiting museums full of skeletons.

• Image by CNRI
• Science Photo Library
• Any re-use of this image must be authorised by Science Photo Library
• Research published in the Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, October 2014