Proteomics and life-history variability of Endogenous Phospholipases A2 Inhibitors (PLIs) in Bothrops jararaca plasma.

In Brazil, the genus Bothrops is responsible for most ophidian accidents. Snake venoms have a wide variety of proteins and peptides exhibiting a broad repertoire of pharmacological and toxic effects that elicit systemic injury and characteristic local effects. The snakes' natural resistance to envenomation caused by the presence of inhibitory compounds on their plasma have been extensively studied.

Maintenance of venomous snakes in captivity for venom production at Butantan Institute from 1908 to the present: a scoping history.

Maintenance of snakes at Butantan Institute started in the last century, intending to produce a different antivenom serum to reduce death caused by snakebites. Through a successful campaign coordinated by Vital Brazil, farmers sent venomous snakes to Butantan Institute by the railway lines with no cost. From 1908 to 1962, the snakes were kept in an outdoor serpentarium, where venom extraction was performed every 15 days.

Snake venom color and L-amino acid oxidase: An evidence of long-term captive Crotalus durissus terrificus venom plasticity.

The venom color variation of Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt) is attributed to the presence of the toxin L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO). During the venom milking routine of Instituto Butantan, we have noticed that most venoms of captive Cdt specimens show a yellowish color, while most venoms of wild specimens are white. Here we describe a comparative analysis of long-term captive (LTC) and recently wild-caught (RWC) Cdt, focusing on LAAO variation.

Sexual and ontogenetic variation of Bothrops leucurus venom.

Various factors, such as geographical origin, climate, sex, age and diet can influence the composition and pathophysiological activities of snake venoms. In this study, we examined the sexual and ontogenetic variations in the venom of Bothrops leucurus, a pitviper responsible for more than 80% of the snakebites in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazilian. The venoms of 31 snakes were pooled according to sex and age (young, adult and old) and screened by SDS-PAGE (in reducing and non-reducing conditions), reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), gelatin zymography, and immunoblotting with therapeutic bothropic antivenom (BAV) from the Instituto Butantan.

Influence of different processing techniques on the toxicity and biochemical characteristics of Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom.

Studies of scorpion venoms have used different venom drying methods: lyophilization, desiccation, lyophilization after mixing with 0.9% saline or purified water and centrifugation. The aim of this study was to see if these different approaches cause some alteration in the composition of the venom or interfere with its biological effects.

Snake venoms from Angola: Intra-specific variations and immunogenicity.

Snakebite is a public health problem in many countries of world. These accidents are considered a Neglected Tropical Disease and are responsible for a high morbidity and mortality index in the South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Angolan snake venoms are poorly investigated and no specific antivenom against them is available in the country.

Does the administration of pilocarpine prior to venom milking influence the composition of Micrurus corallinus venom?

Unlabelled: Considering that the scarcity of venom represents a huge challenge for biochemical and functional studies of Micrurus species (coral snakes), in this report we describe for the first time the influence of pilocarpine administration prior to venom milking on the yield and protein composition of Micrurus corallinus venom. The administration of pilocarpine resulted in an increase of about 127% in the volume of venom milked, with similar protein content. Venoms showed similar protein bands distribution and intensity by SDS-PAGE and equivalents RP-HPLC profiles.

Micrurus snake species: Venom immunogenicity, antiserum cross-reactivity and neutralization potential.

Micrurus snakebites can cause death by muscle paralysis and respiratory arrest a few hours after envenomation. The specific treatment for these snake envenomations is the intravenous application of heterologous antivenom. In Brazil, this antivenom is produced from horses that are immunized with a mixture of Micrurus corallinus and Micrurus frontalis venoms, which are snakes that inhabit the south and southeastern regions of the country.

The Triterpenoid Betulin Protects against the Neuromuscular Effects of Bothrops jararacussu Snake Venom In Vivo.

We confirmed the ability of the triterpenoid betulin to protect against neurotoxicity caused by Bothrops jararacussu snake venom in vitro in mouse isolated phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparations and examined its capability of in vivo protection using the rat external popliteal/sciatic nerve-tibialis anterior (EPSTA) preparation. Venom caused complete, irreversible blockade in PND (40 μg/mL), but only partial blockade (~30%) in EPSTA (3.6 mg/kg, i.

Preliminary biochemical characterization of the venoms of five Colubridae species from Brazil.

The paraphyletic family Colubridae comprises several species of rear-fanged snakes with toxin-secreting Duvernoy's gland, some of them able to cause human envenomation with systemic and/or local damage. In this work we have explored some aspects of biochemical composition and activity of the venoms of five species from Colubridae family from Brazil. Taken together our results suggest distinct features in colubrid venoms, which could be related to the presence of still unknown toxins.