The American Heart Association (AHA) has released a research study indicating that an enzyme occurring naturally in vampire bat saliva may be effective in treating stroke victims.
When someone has an ischemic stroke (blood clot in the brain) it is imperative that treatment begin immediately. The only currently available medication approved by the FDA is only effective for the first two or three hours after the stroke occurs. In many cases a person who has a stroke is not even aware of what happened for several hours after the incident. Because of this, only a few stroke patients receive clot-busting medication.
Bat Spit (Saliva) May Be the Answer
The active clot-busting ingredient in vampire bat saliva can be used effectively up to nine hours after a stroke occurs. The substance, called Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activator (DSPA), stops blood from clotting and breaks up existing clots.
Vampire bats feed by biting an animal and then licking blood from it. The DSPA in bat saliva keeps the blood from clotting while they feed. As grisly as this sounds, it is good news for those who suffer strokes. The DSPA found in bat saliva works hundreds of times more effectively than the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) currently being used.
DSPA destroys fibrin, which is the substance in blood that causes clotting. In addition, DSPA appears to be less likely to cause any brain damage than drugs currently being used. DSPA seems to remain inactive except in the presence of a clot (fibrin), which is an ideal condition for a medication.
Where Can I Get Some?
The drug is still in the testing stages, but the results are so promising that the testing results have been released prior to any approval for usage on humans.
The majority of testing has been done on mice and there is no guarantee it will work similarly on humans. Tests are currently being started on human patients in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Researchers are very optimistic.
Even if DSPA is everything it's supposed to be, early treatment is still of critical importance. The good news? The medication will be administered by injection - not a bite on the neck.
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