They create an antidote for cubomedusa, the most poisonous animal on the planet: its bite kills in minutes.

Researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia, have studied the deadly capacity of this animal's venom, able to kill sixty people with the simple touch of its tentacles, which measure up to three meters long and contain up to five billion microscopic stings or cnidocytes through which it injects its venom.

The team discovered that the poison needed cholesterol to kill human cells and decided to check if existing drugs could stop the substance.

"Since there are many drugs available against cholesterol, researchers have tested one of these drugs."said the team's director, Raymond Lau.

"It worked", he said. "It's a molecular antidote"he added.

In experiments on human cells and mice, the team discovered that it could stop tissue scarring and sting-related pain. if the drug was administered within 15 minutes.

Cubomedusas – which can be smaller than a fingernail or up to three meters long, depending on the species – can cause acute muscle pain, severe vomiting, a sensation of "impending death", hairiness hair, cardio, heart problems and death in minutes.

Until now, they have only tried the bites of the largest, most deadly species. They are generally found in the shallow tropical waters off the coast of Australia, north of the Great Barrier Reef, in the eastern Indian Ocean, in the Pacific and, according to some accounts, there are also species in the Gulf of Mexico.

"We know that the drug will completely stop necrosis, scarring of the skin and pain when applied to the skinsaid Associate Professor Greg Neely.

"We still do not know if you can avoid a heart attack. This will require more research time and we are trying to find funds to continue the work, "he added.

The team hopes that in the future a cream or spray able to prevent the bites that, it was believed, kill dozens of people every year.

(With information from AFP)