Are Gila monsters dangerous

Answer 1

Gila monsters are mildly dangerous to humans. They produce a potent toxin in their lower jaws, but make only small amounts of it. They also do not forcibly inject the poison, and rely on chewing and flipping to inject a lot of venom. As a result, most humans will be able to get the Gila monster off before it is able to deliver any very dangerous dose, and will be able to get to a hospital. There have been no confirmed fatalities from Gila monster bites, although the effects can be quite painful.

Answer 2

No, the venom of a Gila monster is produced in modified salivary glands in the Gila monster's lower jaw, unlike snakes, whose venom is produced in the upper jaw. The Gila monster lacks the musculature to forcibly inject the venom; instead, the venom is propelled from the gland to the tooth by chewing. Capillary action brings the venom out of the tooth and into the victim. The teeth are loosely anchored, which allows them to be broken off and replaced throughout life. Gila monsters have been observed to flip over while biting the victim, presumably to aid the flow of the venom into the wound. Because the Gila monster's prey consists mainly of eggs, small animals, and otherwise "helpless" prey, it is thought that the Gila monster's venom evolved for defensive rather than for hunting use. A defensive use would explain the Gila monster's bright warning coloration.Although the venom is a neurotoxin as toxic as that of a Coral Snake, H. suspectumproduces only small amounts. The Gila monster's bite is normally not fatal to adult humans. There are no confirmed reports of fatalities after 1939, and those prior to that year are suspect due to the primitive dangerous "treatments." The Gila monster can bite quickly (especially by swinging its head sideways) and hold on tenaciously and painfully. If bitten, the victim may need to fully submerge the attacking lizard in water to break free from its bite. Symptoms of the bite include excruciating pain, edema, and weakness associated with a rapid drop in blood pressure. More than a dozen peptides and proteins have been isolated from the Gila monster's venom, including hyaluronidase, serotonin, phospholipase A2, and several kallikrein-like glycoproteins responsible for the pain and edema caused by a bite. Four potentially lethal toxins have been isolated from the Gila monster's venom, including horridum venom, which causes hemorrhage in internal organs and exophthalmos (bulging of the eyes), and helothermine, which causes lethargy, partial paralysis of the limbs, and hypothermia in rats. However, the constituents most focused on are the bioactive peptides, including helodermin, helospectin, exendin-3, and exendin-4. Most are similar in form to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which relaxes smooth muscle and regulates water and electrolyte secretion between the small and large intestines. These bioactive peptides are able to bind to VIP receptors in many different human tissues. One of these, helodermin, has been shown to inhibit the growth of lung cancer.