This is world's most expensive tear; one drop can neutralize 26 snake venoms, it is worth Rs..., it is of...
Tears may seem like merely small drops of water but are quite meaningful and important. For centuries, people have talked about tears. People have used phrases like 'crocodile tears' to show that some tears are fake or false. But tears are not always about sadness or pretending. Tears can show feelings, tell stories, and can even have amazing health impacts. Do you know which is the world's most expensive tear? One drop of tear can… What makes camel's tear so powerful against snake venom?
In Rajasthan's dry desert land, camels have always been known as the 'ship of the desert' because they help farmers commute long miles through tough lands. Now, these wonderful animals are revealing something even more astounding. Scientists at the National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) in Bikaner have discovered that the antibodies derived from the camel tears and its immune system could be used to combat snake venom. This is an exciting finding that may eventually lead to improved treatments for victims of snakebites and also yield improved quality of life for farmers who raise camels. Who conducted the study revealing the medicinal power of camel tears?
As per a Moneycontrol report, researchers from the NRCC staged a series of experiments in which they immunized camels (Camelus dromedarius) with venom from the saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki), which is an extremely venomous snake species.
Their findings indicated that antibodies from the camels' blood serum and tears provided effective neutralization of the effects of the venom; most importantly, the venom's effects related to hemorrhage and coagulopathy were greatly abated. Camel-based antibodies also had fewer allergy issues, and effects were more potent than those derived from traditional antivenoms made from horse immunoglobulin (IgG), which are expensive for production and complex to collect.
Why is this tear considered the most expensive in the world?
India is experiencing a serious snakebite crisis, with nearly 58,000 deaths per year and another 140,000 people with disabilities—the highest-burden worldwide. The NRCC's camel-derived antibodies could lead to lower-cost, safer, and easier-to-produce treatments. This is ultimately great for patients in rural areas, where snakebites are common and timely medical care is more difficult to obtain.
This work shows economic transformation for camel-rearing groups in areas such as Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur. The NRCC has worked to convince local farmers to give them access to their camels for quick and safe collection of tears and blood samples; in exchange, farmers are compensated lavishly. According to the report, Pharmaceutical companies such as the Serum Institute of India and other private drug companies are building business models around the camel-derived antibodies, with estimates that farmers can cash additional income of Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per camel each month; this can give the farmers a new, sustainable, and scientifically lucrative source of cash.
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