03.03.2025 13:10
Professor Dr. Serdar Karakurt, a faculty member of the Department of Biochemistry at Selçuk University Faculty of Science, introduced a small and venomous scorpion he discovered during field studies to the literature with his surname. Naming it "Scorpio Karakurdi," Karakurt stated, "We have demonstrated that the proteins found in the structures of this species play an effective role in the treatment of human colon cancer."
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Prof. Dr. Serdar Karakurt, a faculty member of the Department of Biochemistry at Selçuk University, introduced a small and venomous scorpion he discovered during field studies to the literature by naming it after his surname.
Prof. Dr. Karakurt initiated an academic study regarding the scorpion he found during field surveys in Şırnak, which he believed was not documented in the literature, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Ersen Aydın Yağmur.
A SPECIES UNIQUE TO THE SOUTHEAST
Karakurt, who introduced the small and venomous scorpion belonging to the "Scorpio" genus to the literature under the name "Scorpio Karakurdi," stated to AA correspondent that the scorpion is a rare species endemic to the Southeastern Anatolia Region.
Karakurt expressed his happiness about introducing the scorpion to the literature, saying, "When looking at the new species morphologically, it is smaller than other species. In scorpions, as the morphology decreases, the content of the venom increases. Our analytical studies conducted in the laboratory have revealed that there are many different compounds in the produced venom."
"INTENDED FOR USE IN CANCER RESEARCH"
Karakurt emphasized that it is possible to use the venom obtained from the scorpion in medicine, stating, "The venom contains special proteins that can enter human cells. It actively affects the cells. Scorpion venoms prevent the spread of disease in protein channels such as potassium channels inside the cell, ensuring that the cells die in a controlled manner. However, the main effect is not from the scorpion venom itself, but from the active proteins it contains."
Karakurt mentioned that they are conducting a TÜBİTAK-supported project and noted the following:
"In this project, we aimed to reveal the effects of the proteins found in scorpion species on human colon cancer, lung cancer, and liver cancer. We demonstrated that the proteins found in the structures of this species play an effective role in the treatment of human colon cancer. We showed that it seriously inhibits metastatic colon cancer cells (preventing the spread of the disease), thus preventing the spread of colon cancer in tissues. At the same time, we demonstrated that it inhibits the viability of colon cancer by 95%."
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