Why is heat therapy suggested for treating cone snail envenomation?
Answer
Some venom components are known to be heat-labile.
Heat therapy is strongly recommended because a known characteristic of at least some of the components within the cone snail venom is that they are heat-labile. Being heat-labile means that the application of sufficiently high temperatures can cause these toxic molecules to denature or break down structurally, rendering them less effective or inactive. The protocol suggests immersing the affected area in water as hot as the victim can comfortably tolerate (without causing a burn) for a sustained period, ideally between 30 and 90 minutes, to maximize this denaturing effect before professional medical intervention.
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