Gympietides
Gympietides are a peptide family of neurotoxins that target pain receptors and permanently change and inactivate voltage-gates sodium channels in sensory neurons to produce long-lasting pain. The highly stable nature of these peptides means that they can repeatedly stimulate these sensory neurons prolonging the pain.[1] Their 3D molecular structure makes Gympietides similar to spider or cone snail toxins.[2][3]
The species Dendrocnide moroides produces gympietides. Theses toxins give D. moroides its notoriously painful toxic stings which can last for a few hours.[4]
Name
[edit]They get their name after the species of plant Dendrocnide moroides, commonly known as gympie-gympie.[4]
Medicine
[edit]They could have potential therapeutic use in pain relief by providing a scaffold.[3][clarification needed]
References
[edit]- ^ "Gympietides: the unexpected toxin of Australia – theGIST". the-gist.org. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ Gilding, Edward K.; Jami, Sina; Deuis, Jennifer R.; Israel, Mathilde R.; Harvey, Peta J.; Poth, Aaron G.; Rehm, Fabian B. H.; Stow, Jennifer L.; Robinson, Samuel D.; Yap, Kuok; Brown, Darren L.; Hamilton, Brett R.; Andersson, David; Craik, David J.; Vetter, Irina (2020-09-16). "Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree". Science Advances. 6 (38): eabb8828. Bibcode:2020SciA....6.8828G. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abb8828. PMC 7494335. PMID 32938666.
- ^ a b Queensland, The University of; Lucia, Australia Brisbane St; Gatton, QLD 4072 +61 7 3365 1111 Other Campuses: UQ; Maps, UQ Herston; Queensland, Directions © 2025 The University of. "Native stinging tree toxins match the pain of spiders and cone snails". UQ News. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "The stinging tree's ouch". cosmosmagazine.com. 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2025-07-12.