In Pictures: Egypt's 'Scorpion King' turns venom into money

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In Pictures: Egypt's 'Scorpion King' turns venom into money

Biomedical researchers are studying the pharmaceutical properties of scorpion venom

Published: March 04, 2021 13:30 AFP

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Copy of 647643-01-02-1614828170186 — Surrounded by thousands of live scorpions in a laboratory deep in Egypt's Western Desert, Ahmed Abu al-Seoud carefully handles one of the curved-tailed arachnids before extracting a drop of its venom. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647624-01-02-1614828177938 — A mechanical engineer who worked in the oil sector for almost two decades, Abu al-Seoud decided in 2018 to strike a different path - producing scorpion venom for pharmaceutical research purposes. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647621-01-02-1614828172855 — "I was surfing the internet and saw scorpion venom was one of the most expensive on the market," said the 44-year-old, clad in a white lab coat. "So I thought to myself: Why not take advantage of this desert environment where they roam around?" Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647641-01-02-1614828167298 — Biomedical researchers are studying the pharmaceutical properties of scorpion venom, making the rare and potent neurotoxin a highly sought-after commodity now produced in several Middle Eastern countries Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647634-01-02-1614828161595 — "Dozens of scorpion-derived bioactive molecules have been shown to possess promising pharmacological properties," said a review published last May in the journal Biomedicines. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647638-01-02-1614828164468 — It said labs are now studying its potential anti-microbial, immuno-suppressive and anti-cancer effects, among others, hoping to one day use or synthesise them for medicines. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647627-01-02-1614828180609 — Abu al-Seoud is from the Dakhla oasis, located in Egypt's vast New Valley province and around 800 kilometres (500 miles) southwest of the capital Cairo. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647631-01-02-1614828158626 — Sand dunes and towering palms surround his laboratory, which he affectionately calls the "Scorpion Kingdom". Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647622-01-02-1614828175393 — "Here, every family has a story about a scorpion sting," Abu al-Seoud said. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647628-01-02-1614828183509 — To get the animals to secrete venom in the controlled conditions of the lab, the scorpions are given a slight electric shock. Workers wait 20-30 days between extractions to obtain the highest quality venom. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 647630-01-02-1614828189428 — "What matters is the level of purity," Abu al-Seoud said, adding that one gram requires the venom of 3,000-3,500 scorpions. Image Credit: AFP

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