UNAM researchers develop new antibiotics from scorpion venom and habanero peppers

Scorpion venom yields two potent molecules

Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have developed three new antibiotics derived from scorpion venom and habanero peppers [1]. The scorpion-derived antibiotics were created from the venom of Diplocentrus melici, a species native to Mexico [2]. Two colorless molecules called benzoquinones were isolated from the venom [3]. The blue benzoquinone is effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis [4]. The red benzoquinone is effective against Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of skin and hospital-acquired infections [5].

International collaboration and animal testing

Richard Zare, a renowned chemist from Stanford University, participated in the validation of the scorpion venom findings [6]. Rogelio Hernández Pando, a UNAM researcher, evaluated the blue benzoquinone in a mouse model with induced tuberculosis [7]. In further tests, the blue benzoquinone also eliminated Acinetobacter baumannii, a multidrug-resistant pathogen often found in hospital settings [8]. The molecules from scorpion venom have been patented in Mexico and South Africa [9].

Nanoparticles for safe delivery

To overcome the toxicity of the benzoquinones, researchers are developing nanoparticles to stabilize the scorpion-derived antibiotics for safe administration [10]. This approach aims to protect the compounds until they reach their target, minimizing side effects.

Habanero pepper defensin targets Pseudomonas

In a parallel line of research, a peptide called defensin J1-1 was identified in the habanero bell pepper Capsicum chinense [11]. A drug called XisHar J1-1 was developed from defensin J1-1 and proved effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that causes severe infections in immunocompromised patients [12]. However, the study on habanero pepper did not use a resistant strain from patients, but a laboratory strain [13]. Both the defensin and its synthetic variants have a patent in Mexico [14].

What to watch next

The next steps involve scaling up production, conducting further safety studies, and eventually moving toward clinical trials. If successful, these novel antibiotics could provide new weapons against the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.