A component of tarantula venom, called ProTx-II, could one day be used to relieve your headache, back pain or any other body ache and replace the commonly used drug aspirin. The aim behind the research is to find an alternative to ineffective painkillers and opioids such as OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin that can lead to extreme drowsiness and be highly addictive.

Scientists say this peptide toxin identified by them could prove to be an ideal painkiller due to its high potency. Peptides are chains of amino acids, but the molecules are smaller. ProTx-II, researchers say, selectively counters pain receptors in the brain.

The drug derived from the venom could, thus, come as a ray of hope for scores of people who have little option but to live with chronic pain that affects them both physically and emotionally. Painkillers derived from tarantula venom could provide them with some relief, while also proving the ultimate PR coup for the much-feared spiders.

The scientists have been trying to build upon an earlier proven theory that showed ProTx-II binds to Nav 1.7, an important pain receptor. Scientists from Australia's University of Queensland have been using 3D imaging to gauge exactly how ProTx-II from the Peruvian green velvet tarantula binds with brain cell membranes to inhibit pain. This is a latest effort to find out a connection between creepy crawlies' venom and human brain.

The scientists have presented their findings at the Biophysical Society's 60th annual meeting, which is at present underway in Los Angeles.

“Our results show that the cell membrane plays an important role in the ability of ProTx-II to inhibit the pain receptor”, Sónia Troeira Henriques, senior research officer at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said in a statement.

In particular, the neuronal cell membranes attract the peptide to the neurons, increase its concentration close to the pain receptors, and lock the peptide in the right orientation to maximize its interaction with the target, added Sónia.