introduction.?Snake venom is a secretion from the specialized glands in the mouth of the snake, analogous to the salivary glands of other animals. The venom itself is a complicated Protein and behaves like an enzyme. It is^ a neurotropic poison which is also endowed with digestive functions. Its strong proteolytic Properties are well known. A rat after being swallowed whole by a snake is comple...

The ethanolic extract from seed kernels of Thai mango (MSKE) (Mangifera indica L. cv. 'Fahlun') (Anacardiaceae) and its major phenolic principle (pentagalloyl glucopyranose) exhibited dose-dependent inhibitory effects on enzymatic activities of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), hyaluronidase and L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) of Calloselasma rhodostoma (CR) and Naja naja kaouthia (NK)venoms by in vitro...

The spine-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis curtus) is known to cause human deaths, yet its venom composition has not yet been proteomically characterised. An indepth proteomic analysis was performed on H. curtus venom from two different seasons, January and June, corresponding to adults and subadults, respectively. Venoms from adult and subadult H. curtus individuals were compared using reversedpha...

Snake venoms affect blood coagulation and platelet function in a complex manner. However, two classes of venom proteins, snaclecs and disintegrins have been shown to specifically target receptors including GPIb, α2β1, GPVI, CLEC-2 and integrins αIIbβ3, αvβ3, α5β1 expressed on platelets, endothelial cells, phagocytes, tumor cells, thus affecting cell-matrices and cell-cell interactions. Here, we...

Snake venoms are mixtures of numerous proteinacious components that exert diverse functional activities on a variety of physiological targets. Because the toxic constituents found in venom vary from species to species, snakebite victims can present with a variety of life-threatening pathologies related to the neurotoxic, cytotoxic and haemotoxic effects of venom. Of the 1·8 million people enven...

The initial inventory of platelet aggregation inhibitors (1) dealt with those isolated from snake venoms. This updated inventory includes in addition to several new inhibitors platelet aggregation from snake venoms, those that were isolated from other animal sources. They are proteins or glycoproteins with their molecular weight ranging from 5000 to several tens of thousands. These factors inhi...

Snake venoms are rich sources of serine proteinase inhibitors that are members of the KunitzBPTI (bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor) family. Generally, these inhibitors are formed by 60 amino acids approximately. Their folding is characterised by a canonical loop that binds in a complementary manner to the active site of serine protease. Some variants from snake venoms show only weak inhibito...

Snake bite envenoming, mainly caused by the saw-scaled or carpet viper (Echis ocellatus), is a neglected disease of West Africa. Specific antivenoms can save life and limb but, for various reasons, supply of these essential drugs to Africa has dwindled to less than 2% of estimated requirements. Other problems include maldistribution, inadequate conservation and inappropriate clinical use of ant...

Snakebites have the highest incidence in Asia and represent an important health problem. Clinical renal manifestations include proteinuria, hematuria, pigmenturia, and renal failure. Nephropathy usually is caused by bites by snakes with hemotoxic or myotoxic venoms. These snakes are Russell's viper, saw-scaled viper, hump-nosed pit viper, green pit viper, and sea-snake. Renal pathologic changes...