By Emily Murray

Arachnophobes beware! While most people dread being bit by a spider, new research shows that perhaps men suffering from erectile dysfunction could welcome the venomous bite…well that is before the overall pain sets in of course.

Ever hear about the mysterious 4 hour erection that may be a side effect of PDE-5 inhibitors, also known as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra? Apparently one bite from a particular Brazilian spider can have the same effect on men. Aside from an erection  lasting hours, there is also an increase in overall blood pressure and pain. While it seems most men would welcome at least one of the three main side effects, they rarely have a chance to use this sexual advantage before they must head to the hospital for treatment.

So how does this creepy crawler enhance a man’s sex life?

In an article from LiveScience.com explaining this natural phenomenon,  study team member Romulo Leite of the Medical College of Georgia was quoted saying, “The erection is a side effect that everybody who gets stung by this spider will experience along with the pain and discomfort…We’re hoping eventually this will end up in the development of real drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.”

While it does seem that this spider bite could actually lead to a new medical discovery, if men didn’t have to undergo the other, less favorable, side effects we may be on the brink of discovering a brand new, natural form of a medication like Viagra.

While many men see great success with the current ED drugs on the market today, those with extremely severe ED may be able to benefit from this seemingly very potent ingredient found in the spider venom.

The first step for researchers was to filter out exactly what substance in the spider bite  caused the favorable side effect. When each chemical was tested, researchers found that a substance, they now call Tx2-6, was responsible. This substance was then tested by injecting it into the penis of a rat at which point pressure changes in the area were recorded.

The first domino to be set in motion in the chain of events resulting in an erection is the increase in nitric oxide which is an immediate reaction to the spider bite.

Now the challenge for researchers is to seperate this chemical and eventually make it available in an FDA approved drug version that could be taken along with the PDE-5 drugs which are already on the market.