Worth the sting: Venom of Cuba's blue scorpion a painkiller, suggests study

In Cuba, where tens of thousands of patients have been treated with Vidatox, each vial costs under a dollar

Once a month for the last decade, Pepe Casanas, a 78-year-old Cuban farmer, has hunted down a scorpion to sting himself with, vowing that the venom wards off his rheumatism pains.

His natural remedy is no longer seen as very unusual here.

Researchers in Cuba have found that the venom of the blue scorpion, whose scientific name is Rhopalurus junceus, endemic to the Caribbean island, appears to have anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties, and may be able to delay tumour growth in some cancer patients.

While some oncologists abroad say more research is needed to be able to properly back up such a