1. Biochemical and biological analysis of Philodryas baroni (Baron's green racer; Dipsadidae) venom: relevance to the findings of human risk assessment.
- Author
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Sánchez MN, Timoniuk A, Maruñak S, Teibler P, Acosta O, and Peichoto ME
- Subjects
- Animals, Anticoagulants administration & dosage, Anticoagulants chemistry, Anticoagulants metabolism, Argentina, Collagen metabolism, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Endopeptidases administration & dosage, Endopeptidases chemistry, Endopeptidases metabolism, Fibrinogen metabolism, Hemolytic Agents administration & dosage, Hemolytic Agents chemistry, Hemolytic Agents metabolism, Hemolytic Agents toxicity, Hemorrhage chemically induced, Humans, Injections, Intradermal, Mice, Mice, Inbred Strains, Molecular Weight, Muscle, Skeletal drug effects, Muscle, Skeletal pathology, Necrosis, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors administration & dosage, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors chemistry, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors metabolism, Reptilian Proteins administration & dosage, Reptilian Proteins chemistry, Reptilian Proteins metabolism, Risk Assessment, Snake Venoms administration & dosage, Snake Venoms chemistry, Snake Venoms metabolism, Substrate Specificity, Anticoagulants toxicity, Colubridae, Endopeptidases toxicity, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors toxicity, Reptilian Proteins toxicity, Snake Venoms toxicity
- Abstract
Philodryas baroni--an attractively colored snake--has become readily available through the exotic pet trade. Most people consider this species harmless; however, it has already caused human envenomation. As little is known about the venom from this South American opisthoglyphous "colubrid" snake, herein, we studied its protein composition by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), as well as its effects on the hemostatic system. Both reducing and nonreducing SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the venom exhibits greatest complexity in the range of 50-80 kDa. The venom displayed proteolytic activity toward azocollagen, with a specific activity of 75.5 U mg⁻¹, and rapidly hydrolyzed the Aα-chain of fibrinogen, exhibiting lower activity toward the Bβ- and γ-chains. The venom from P. baroni showed no platelet proaggregating activity per se, but it inhibited collagen- and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Prominent hemorrhage developed in mouse skin after intradermal injection of the crude venom, and its minimum hemorrhagic dose was 13.9 μg. When injected intramuscularly into the gastrocnemius of mice, the venom induced local effects such as hemorrhage, myonecrosis, edema, and leucocyte infiltration. Due to its venom toxicity shown herein, P. baroni should be considered dangerous to humans and any medically significant bite should be promptly reviewed by a qualified health professional.
- Published
- 2014
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