Development of a new polyspecific antivenom for snakebite envenoming in Sri Lanka: Analysis of its preclinical efficacy as compared to a currently available antivenom.

A new whole IgG, freeze-dried, polyspecific antivenom was prepared from the plasma of horses immunized with the venoms of the snakes Daboia russelii, Echis carinatus, Hypnale hypnale, and Naja naja from Sri Lanka. The preclinical neutralizing ability of this antivenom against several toxic and enzymatic activities of these four venoms was analyzed, and compared with that of a batch of VINS antivenom (India) being currently used in Sri Lanka. The activities tested were: lethality, hemorrhagic, in vitro coagulant, proteinase and phospholipase A.

Epidemiology of venomous and semi-venomous snakebites (Ophidia: Viperidae, Colubridae) in the Kashan city of the Isfahan province in Central Iran.

Background: Information on the epidemiology of venomous snake species responsible for envenomation to humans in Iran has not been well documented. In the Kashan city, venomous snakebite remains a recurring medical problem. Information providing the correct identification of snake species responsible for envenomation in this geographic region would be useful to regional medical clinics and personnel for the effective and optimal management of the patients.

Combined active and passive immunization against nicotine: minimizing monoclonal antibody requirements using a target antibody concentration strategy.

Nicotine vaccines have shown preliminary evidence of efficacy for enhancing smoking cessation rates, but the serum nicotine-specific antibody (NicAb) concentrations produced are highly variable and many subjects do not develop effective levels. As an alternative to vaccination, passive immunization with nicotine-specific monoclonal antibodies could produce more uniform serum NicAb concentrations, but its use is limited by their high cost and shorter elimination half-life. This study investigated supplementing vaccination with monoclonal antibodies in a targeted fashion to increase vaccine efficacy while minimizing the required monoclonal antibody dose.

Tobacco extract but not nicotine impairs the mechanical strength of fracture healing in rats.

The influence of nicotine and tobacco extract (without nicotine) alone and in combination on and mechanical strength of closed femoral fractures in rats was investigated. One hundred four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups receiving: nicotine, tobacco extract, tobacco extract plus nicotine, and saline. One week prior to fracture, osmotic pumps were implanted subcutaneously in all animals to administer nicotine equivalent to the serum level of nicotine observed in a smoker consuming one to two packs of cigarettes daily.

Effects of nicotine-specific antibodies, Nic311 and Nic-IgG, on the transfer of nicotine across the human placenta.

The adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy on fetal development are, in part, due to nicotine. These effects may be due to the actions of nicotine in fetal circulation or on placental functions. In pregnant rats, vaccination with a nicotine immunogen reduces the transfer of nicotine from the maternal to fetal circulation.

Continuous nicotine infusion reduces nicotine self-administration in rats with 23-h/day access to nicotine.

The effects of continuous nicotine infusion on nicotine self-administration (NSA) were studied in rats as a model of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in humans. A NSA model in which rats had 23-h/day access to nicotine was used to approximate nicotine access conditions in cigarette smokers. In order to estimate serum nicotine concentrations associated with NSA, arterial and venous serum nicotine concentrations were measured during a simulation of NSA.