Crocodile Blood Kills Bacteria

Crocodiles live in bacteria-infested waters, eat sick animals, and engage in battles with other crocodiles. Their skin may be ripped open or their limbs torn off in battle. Yet they heal quickly and rarely get infections. This has scientists wondering about how a crocodile's immune system works.

A leading research institute drew crocodile blood and tested it on a number of strains of bacteria, including newer, drug-resistant bacteria. When a drop of crocodile blood is placed right in the middle of a culture dish of bacteria, it kills all the bacteria near it. Crocodile serum also kills the HIV virus much better than the human immune system.

"The crocodile has an immune system which attaches to bacteria and tears it apart and it explodes. It's like putting a gun to the head of the bacteria and pulling the trigger," says Australian scientist Adam Britton.

Upon analysis, crocodile blood appears to have an anti-microbial peptide that can penetrate bacteria or virus cells' membranes. Once inside, it destroys the cell. A peptide is a natural chemical made up of amino acids or protein and is located in white blood cells.

There are a number of issues confronting scientists who would like to develop a drug with this serum. One is that it takes years to get a drug approved by the FDA. Also, at the present peptides cannot be injected or taken orally. Another is that researchers are concerned that crocodile serum may be too strong for humans and may have to be synthesized.

Even so, researchers think they may have a drug developed and on the market within 10 or so years. They have already been working on developing this drug for a number of years.