HomeScienceScience of snake milking: How venom is extracted for medicine

Science of snake milking: How venom is extracted for medicine

Snake milking turns deadly venom into lifesaving antivenoms. Experts extract toxins carefully, helping develop treatments for blood disorders, nerve damage and other medical breakthroughs.

October 20, 2025 / 10:53 IST
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Science of snake milking: How venom is extracted for medicine (Image: Canva)
Science of snake milking: How venom is extracted for medicine (Image: Canva)

Snake milking is not a sin as it would sound. It is the sensitive art of harvesting snake venoms out of the vile snakes. This is an essential procedure of making lifesaving antivenoms. Snake milking lead towards new discoveries in medicine. There is precision in the way the snakes are handled by the experts, and human and animal safety is enhanced.

From Fangs to Flask

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The trained herpetologists rub the venom glands of the snake during milking and direct the venom into a sterile collection tube. The yield may be different and depend on the species, size, as well as on the health of the snake. Upon collection, the venom is then dried by freeze or refrigeration, awaiting laboratory research or antivenom manufacturing.

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