Chile’s black widow also has promising spermicidal abilities, scientists find.
Scientists have discovered a potentially marketable contraceptive in the venom of Chile’s black widow spider, whose bite is fatal to many but can also cause prolonged, painful and involuntary erections in men.
The venom of the Latrodectus mactans, a variety of black widow found only in the south of Chile, has spermicidal properties not found in black widows in other regions of the world, Chilean Dr. Fernando Romero said.
Romero heads a research team that has studied the spider’s venom for seven years, prompted by tales of Chilean farmers who acquired superhuman virility after being bitten by the black widow. Initial studies focused on taking extracts from the venom to treat erectile dysfunction, but they soon discovered it had a molecule that also made it an effective contraceptive.
His team discovered the property after looking into Chilean folklore that describes a virile man, one known to have spectacular sexual energy or many sexual partners, as being ”spider-bitten.”
The Chilean black widow is also known as the wheat spider for the wheat fields it inhabits and where its farmer-victims receive their often fatal bite.
The spider’s bite can kill children and the elderly, but among strong young farmers it leads to erections that can last for days and involve involuntary ejaculations. At the end of the ordeal, the man is left sexually energized and feels physically stronger, the saying goes.
Via BBC
Post a Comment