How does spider venom affect the human body?

Spider venoms are a cocktail of many chemicals. Some are neurotoxins, which evolved to kill or immobilise arthropods like insects by attacking their nervous systems; others are cytotoxins which help break down the tissue so the spider can ingest a liquefied meal.Sep 30, 2015 read more

During the first 24 hours after a black widow spider bite: Severe pain in muscle groups local to the bite. Muscle cramping, in the abdomen similar to appendicitis, back, thighs and soles of the feet.. Headache, dizziness, tremors, salivation, excessive sweating, nausea and vomiting. read more

(Toxinology is the study of the venoms and poisons of plants, animals and microbes; it is different from toxicology, which is the study of chemicals and drugs as they affect the body.) If a spider bite is "verified," it means that there was actual evidence that a person was bitten by a particular kind of spider. read more

The pathophysiology of a spider bite is due to the effect of its venom. A spider envenomation occurs whenever a spider injects venom into the skin. Not all spider bites inject venom – a dry bite, and the amount of venom injected can vary based on the type of spider and the circumstances of the encounter. read more