What is a Platypus?     Facts about the Platypus     Platypus venom causes pain in humans:     How is pain caused in humans?     What  makes platypus venom unique?     Current knowledge on Platypus venom     References

    Above are pictures of a male platypus's retractable spur on its hind leg.  They have  a venom duct within the spur where the venom is releases from their venom duct gland which is located in the hind leg.  But what about the venom itself?  Yes, platypuses are weird and it makes them even more bizarre to know they have a venomous spur.  Who cares?
    First off this venom is inherently unique because it is a mammalian venom.  One of only two mammalian venoms in the world to be identified.  But the most interesting aspect of platypus venom is the effect that it takes on humans.  The victim of a platypus envenomation experiences extremely intense pain and immediate swelling of tissue surrounding the spur wound.  Swelling and prolonged pain typically lasts up to three months.  And most bizarre of all is that neither morphine nor any other pain killer has any affect on the pain that is induced by the platypus venom.  The only effective way to stop pain is to anesthetize the area that is in pain.  Even after numbing the area that is in pain, the victim still feels intense swelling and throbbing.
    Platypus venom is the only venom known to have these types of effect on humans.  The intense pain associated with envenomation, and the inability of pain killers to inhibit the sensation of pain makes for a interesting investigation.  We do not have much knowledge on the mechanisms of pain signaling and this venom clearly seems to have a  unique effect on pain signaling.  An investigation of platypus venom may reveal not only why the venom is immune to pain killers, but it could also disclose a lot about how pain signaling works.

* Picture courtesy of <www.pharmacology.unimelb.edu.au> and the Tasmanian Wildlife Preserve *