PHARMACOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF TOXIC PROTEINS FROM SNAKE VENOMS

Toxic proteins in snake venoms are classified according to their principal pharmacological properties as follows : 1) Neurotoxins-postsynaptic neurotoxins from elapid and sea snake venoms and presynaptic neurotoxins from some elapid and crotalus venoms. 2) Myotoxins-Cardiotoxins from elapid venoms and crotamine and other basic proteins from crotalus venoms. 3) Toxic proteins acting on blood vessels and other smooth muscle organs-vasculotoxins, hemorrhagins, and bradykinin-releasing esterases from viperid and crotalid venoms, and phospholipase A from most snake venoms. 4) Local necrotizing agents-proteolytic enzymes from crotalid and viperid venoms and cardiotoxins from elapid venoms. 5) Coagulants-Factor X activators, prothrombin activators and thrombin-like enzymes. 6) Anticoagulantsinactivation of thromboplastin, Factor V and prothrombin, and fibrinolytic enzymes.