Which snake provided the venom research that led to the blood-pressure drug captopril?

Bothrops jararaca provided venom research that led to the blood-pressure drug captopril.

Bothrops jararaca is a pit viper native to parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia. In the 1960s, Brazilian scientist Sérgio Henrique Ferreira studied peptides in its venom that strongly affected blood pressure. The research helped reveal how certain venom components inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE.

That mechanism inspired the development of captopril, an ACE inhibitor introduced for treating hypertension and some forms of heart failure. Captopril was not simply bottled snake venom; it was a carefully designed medicine based on the biological action of venom-derived peptides.

The species is commonly called the jararaca. It remains medically significant because its venom can cause serious tissue damage and bleeding. The story is a classic example of venom research producing a useful pharmaceutical, alongside medicines inspired by compounds from other animals and plants.