The venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus causes an irreversible neuromuscular blockade in isolated preparations due to action of the presynaptically-acting heterodimeric phospholipase A (PLA) crotoxin. Some populations of this subspecies contain, in addition to crotoxin, the toxin crotamine, which acts directly on muscle fibers. In this study we used C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxins (Basel)
November 2021
Systemic envenomation by (South American rattlesnake) can cause coagulopathy, rabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and peripheral neuromuscular blockade, the latter resulting in flaccid paralysis. Previous studies have shown that plant products such as tannic acid and theaflavin can protect against the neuromuscular blockade caused by venom in vitro. In this work, we used mouse-isolated phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations to examine the ability of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin to protect against venom-induced neuromuscular blockade in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the efficiency of hemoperfusion in removing South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom from rats compared with neutralization by antivenom.
Design: An exploratory experimental investigation in rats involving the injection of snake venom with or without subsequent hemoperfusion or antivenom administration.
Setting: Basic animal research laboratory in a private university.
We examined the ability of venom (12.5 mg/kg) injected intraperitoneally (i.p.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNanoparticle-conjugated venom-toxins of venomous animals and its therapeutic efficacy against emerging or neglecting diseases is a promising strategy. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs ∼50 nm, 0.081 mg mL) were studied against the neuromuscular blockade, myotoxic effects induced by Bothrops jararacussu venom (60 µg mL) and also against prokaryotic cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Of the various biological activities ascribed to extracts from Casearia sylvestris (guaçatonga), its facilitatory activity, i.e., ability to increase skeletal muscle contractile amplitude, has promising therapeutic applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBetulin is a pentacyclic triterpene found in the outer barks of innumerous plants. This secondary metabolite is easily isolated from plants with the major interest in converting it to betulinic acid, which pharmacological properties were much more exploited than betulin. But, investments in the own betulin have been grown since no chemical step is necessary.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany natural products influence neurotransmission and are used clinically. In particular, facilitatory agents can enhance neurotransmission and are potentially useful for treating neuromuscular diseases in which muscular weakness is the major symptom. In this work, we investigated the facilitatory effect of apolar to polar fractions of Casearia sylvestris Sw.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany natural products influence neurotransmission and are used clinically. In particular, facilitatory agents can enhance neurotransmission and are potentially useful for treating neuromuscular diseases in which muscular weakness is the major symptom. In this work, we investigated the facilitatory effect of apolar to polar fractions of Casearia sylvestris Sw.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSnakebite is a neglected disease and serious health problem in Brazil, with most bites being caused by snakes of the genus Bothrops. Although serum therapy is the primary treatment for systemic envenomation, it is generally ineffective in neutralizing the local effects of these venoms. In this work, we examined the ability of 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone (TM), an isoflavone from Dipteryx alata, to neutralize the neurotoxicity (in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations) and myotoxicity (assessed by light microscopy) of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom in vitro.
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