Researchers from the University of Colorado have conducted studies into whether the fatty acids found in the blood of pythons could, some day, be used as an effective treatment against heart disease. Python’s blood was tested on because the snake’s heart actually grows by 40 percent after it feeds and also the amount of triglycerides found in the animal’s blood increases to about 50 times the normal level. This happens because of the fatty acids in the snake’s blood and the scientists wanted to find out whether it would have the same effect on humans.
The researchers injected a sample of the python’s blood, after the snake had eaten, into a group of laboratory mice. They also re-created the fats under laboratory conditions and injected another group of mice with them. In both groups the scientist noted an improvement of the rodents heart health.
One of the lead researchers, Leslie Leinwand, said; “The idea is that you could give it to a mouse before getting heart disease, while it might be developing it or after getting heart disease to see if it would prevent, slow down or decrease the disease.” With a bit more research, this could be the future of heart disease treatment.
