Summary: Spiders and Erections! Replay Episode 6 - by Sarah Chow (click here to directly access the MP3) The world’s most venomous spider, the Brazilian Wandering Spider, doesn’t just kill its victims, it also causes priapism, a painful erection! Find out how doctors are now looking at this compound as a cure for erectile dysfunction! More information about the discovery of PnTx2-6, the spider venom compound responsible for erections: Nunes KP. et al. Nitric oxide-induced vasorelaxation in response to PnTx2-6 toxin from Phoneutria nigriventer spider in rat cavernosal tissue. J Sex Med. 2010 Dec;7(12):3879-88. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01978.x. Nunes KP et al. Increased cavernosal relaxation by Phoneutria nigriventer toxin, PnTx2-6, via activation at NO/cGMP signaling. International journal of impotence research. 2011 Oct 6. doi: 10.1038/ijir.2011.47. Dr. R. Clinton Webb’s research focused on penile erections as well as the physiology of blood vessels. Sarah Chow is a recent graduate of the Banff Science Communication program and enjoys bringing the humour into science one podcast at a time. She also produces and hosts her own science news segment on CiTR radio (www.citr.ca) called Simply Science. Sarah is also a PhD student at the University of British Columbia studying Pacemaker Channels in the heart. You can visit her blog www.sschow.com or follow her on twitter @sswchow
