<p>Australia is notorious for its venomous spiders, snakes and sea creatures, but researchers have now identified "scorpion-like" toxins secreted by a tree that can cause excruciating pain for weeks.</p>.<p>Split-second contact with the dendrocnide tree, a rainforest nettle known by its indigenous name gympie-gympie, delivers a sting far more potent than similar plants found in the US or Europe.</p>.<p>The tree, which has broad oval- or heart-shaped leaves, is primarily found in rainforest areas of northeast Queensland, where it is notorious among hikers.</p>.<p>A team of Australian scientists say they now better understand why the gympie-gympie's sting haunts those unlucky enough to brush up against its leaves.</p>.<p>Victims report an initial sting that "feels like fire at first, then subsides over hours to a pain reminiscent of having the affected body part caught in a slammed car door", the University of Queensland researchers said Thursday.</p>.<p>In the final, drawn-out stages, simply taking a shower can reignite the pain.</p>.<p>Though the gympie-gympie is covered in fine needle-like hairs similar to other nettles, previous testing for common irritants such as histamines came up empty.</p>.<p>Irina Vetter, an associate professor at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said the research team discovered a new class of neurotoxin miniproteins, which they christened 'gympietides'.</p>.<p>"Although they come from a plant, the gympietides are similar to spider and cone snail toxins in the way they fold into their 3D molecular structures and target the same pain receptors -- this arguably makes the gympie-gympie tree a truly 'venomous' plant," she said.</p>.<p>Australia is already infamous for its venomous fauna including snakes, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus and funnel-web spiders, although deaths in humans from bites or stings are rare.</p>.<p>Vetter said the long-lasting pain inflicted by the tree may be explained by the gympietides permanently altering the chemical makeup of the affected sensory neurons -- not due to the fine hairs getting stuck in the skin.</p>.<p>The scientists hope their research, published in peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, will eventually help lead to better pain relief treatment for people who have been stung.</p>
<p>Australia is notorious for its venomous spiders, snakes and sea creatures, but researchers have now identified "scorpion-like" toxins secreted by a tree that can cause excruciating pain for weeks.</p>.<p>Split-second contact with the dendrocnide tree, a rainforest nettle known by its indigenous name gympie-gympie, delivers a sting far more potent than similar plants found in the US or Europe.</p>.<p>The tree, which has broad oval- or heart-shaped leaves, is primarily found in rainforest areas of northeast Queensland, where it is notorious among hikers.</p>.<p>A team of Australian scientists say they now better understand why the gympie-gympie's sting haunts those unlucky enough to brush up against its leaves.</p>.<p>Victims report an initial sting that "feels like fire at first, then subsides over hours to a pain reminiscent of having the affected body part caught in a slammed car door", the University of Queensland researchers said Thursday.</p>.<p>In the final, drawn-out stages, simply taking a shower can reignite the pain.</p>.<p>Though the gympie-gympie is covered in fine needle-like hairs similar to other nettles, previous testing for common irritants such as histamines came up empty.</p>.<p>Irina Vetter, an associate professor at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said the research team discovered a new class of neurotoxin miniproteins, which they christened 'gympietides'.</p>.<p>"Although they come from a plant, the gympietides are similar to spider and cone snail toxins in the way they fold into their 3D molecular structures and target the same pain receptors -- this arguably makes the gympie-gympie tree a truly 'venomous' plant," she said.</p>.<p>Australia is already infamous for its venomous fauna including snakes, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus and funnel-web spiders, although deaths in humans from bites or stings are rare.</p>.<p>Vetter said the long-lasting pain inflicted by the tree may be explained by the gympietides permanently altering the chemical makeup of the affected sensory neurons -- not due to the fine hairs getting stuck in the skin.</p>.<p>The scientists hope their research, published in peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, will eventually help lead to better pain relief treatment for people who have been stung.</p>