Those who've encountered the wrath of the box jellyfish will tell you its sting is potent. But studies conducted by University of Hawaii researchers, the Waikiki Aquarium and the city's Ocean Safety Division over the past 10 years may soon provide relief on the beach.
The pain on Jemma Costa's face says it all. Costa is experiencing a radiating neuralgic type of pain and near instant inflammation. Her swelling could last for weeks -- skin eruptions could last months.
"If you can imagine yourself being poked by thousands of microscopic spiny splinters and having just that physical element left in the skin," said University of Hawaii Assistant Research Professor Angel Yanagihara. For 10 years Yanagihara has teamed with other local experts taking apart the complex mixture that makes up the box jellyfish's venom.
"As a bio-chemist my point of view is to take whatever complex mixture that nature brings forward and to try to break it down and determine the ingredient list," she said. "This is the final wash of 300 animals worth of tentacles."
This vial holds the secret to what could someday ease the pain felt on the beach.
"We are at the point now where we can formulate a bio-chemically relevant treatment cream, I would need to partner with a physician and do a proper human studies to bring this forward," said Yanagihara.
Exciting news after years of what scientists call, "bringing the beach to the bench."
"But at least from the bench point of view we have something we want to bring back to the beach."
But the studies are far from complete and there is still much work to be done. Although there are no documented cases of death in Hawaii attributed to the box jellyfish, the species is evolving.
"I think folks may start to become relaxed a bit and then when it spikes up again become alarmed and so that sort of impedes our ability to do things in a sustain fashion," she said.
As it evolves so could its venom.
"Even after they've left the tentacle and have been frozen for months if you get a drop on your skin that contains a nematocyst they're still fully capable of discharging and you feel that pin prick and fiery hot sting from even as much as a single nematocyst," she said.
A unwanted monthly gift from Mother Nature but thankfully this lab is in our own backyard.
For more information on the box jellyfish visit these websites.
