Publications by authors named "Arno Naude"
Article Synopsis
- Snakebite poses a major global health challenge, especially in low-income regions, leading researchers to explore small-molecule inhibitors to neutralize snake venom toxins.
- The study focuses on viper species in Africa, particularly their anticoagulant phospholipase A (PLA) toxins and pseudo-procoagulant activities, which complicate clot formation and worsen bleeding.
- Among the tested inhibitors, varespladib was the most effective against PLA toxins, while none effectively neutralized the pseudo-procoagulant activity, suggesting that multi-drug approaches may be needed for effective treatment.
Research into the neurotoxic activity of venoms from species within the snake family Viperidae is relatively neglected compared with snakes in the Elapidae family. Previous studies into venoms from the Bitis genus of vipers have identified the presence of presynaptic phospholipase A neurotoxins in B. atropos and B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVarespladib (LY315920) neutralises phospholipase A mediated prothrombinase-inhibition induced by Bitis snake venoms.
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol
October 2020
Article Synopsis
- Anticoagulant toxicity is a notable characteristic of venoms from the Bitis genus, specifically in species like B. cornuta and B. xeropaga, which inhibit the prothrombinase complex.
- Research is focusing on the drug varespladib, which has shown potential in neutralizing the toxic effects of snake venom phospholipase A toxins before patients reach hospitals, especially in remote areas.
- Findings confirm that varespladib effectively counters the anticoagulant effects of venoms from four Bitis species, demonstrating its broad efficacy against phospholipase A-rich snake venoms.
Article Synopsis
- A study analyzed 584 reports of snakebites across 192 species to see if bites lead to immediate severe pain, which would support the idea that venom evolved for defense.
- Findings show that most bites don't cause early severe pain, suggesting that natural selection for defense may not have significantly influenced venom evolution, although some exceptions could exist.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on 17 snake species from a genus found in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, which are significant contributors to snakebite incidents in the region.
- Research shows that, while most species have anticoagulant venom effects, the basal dwarf species retains procoagulant venom, indicating a complex evolutionary history of venom types.
- Antivenom treatments are effective for anticoagulant effects in most species, but struggles remain in neutralizing the procoagulant effects of the dwarf species, highlighting urgent clinical management challenges.
Envenomations by venomous snakes have major public health implications on a global scale. Despite its medical importance, snakebite has long been a neglected tropical disease by both governments and medical science. Many aspects of the resulting pathophysiology have been largely under-investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoagulotoxic Cobras: Clinical Implications of Strong Anticoagulant Actions of African Spitting Naja Venoms That Are Not Neutralised by Antivenom but Are by LY315920 (Varespladib).
Toxins (Basel)
December 2018
Snakebite is a global tropical disease that has long had huge implications for human health and well-being. Despite its long-standing medical importance, it has been the most neglected of tropical diseases. Reflective of this is that many aspects of the pathology have been underinvestigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cytotoxicity of the venom of 25 species of Old World elapid snake was tested and compared with the morphological and behavioural adaptations of hooding and spitting. We determined that, contrary to previous assumptions, the venoms of spitting species are not consistently more cytotoxic than those of closely related non-spitting species. While this correlation between spitting and non-spitting was found among African cobras, it was not present among Asian cobras.
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