Gympietides

Gympietides are a peptide family of neurotoxins that target pain receptors and permanently change and inactivate voltage-gates sodium channels in sensory neurons to produce long-lasting pain. The highly stable nature of these peptides means that they can repeatedly stimulate these sensory neurons prolonging the pain.^[1] Their 3D molecular structure makes Gympietides similar to spider or cone snail toxins.^[2][3]

Dendrocnide moroides produces these neurotoxic peptides

The species Dendrocnide moroides produces gympietides. Theses toxins give D. moroides its notoriously painful toxic stings which can last for a few hours.^[4]

Name

They get their name after the species of plant Dendrocnide moroides, commonly known as gympie-gympie.^[4]

Medicine

They could have potential therapeutic use in pain relief by providing a scaffold.^{[3][clarification needed]}