The venoms from central Asian snakes (Echis carinatus, Echis multisquamatus, Vipera ursini, Vipera lebetina, Agkistrodon halys halys and Naja naja oxiana) contain several enzymes with amidolytic- and procoagulant activity. We have characterized the activities and the mol. wts of the venom enzymes that are able to convert a number of commercially available chromogenic substrates for activated co...

In this study, polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis methods were used to analyze venom extracts of Vipera xanthina specimens of different lengths (35, 47 and 88 cm) collected from the same locality. The electropherograms of the venom protein samples showed age-dependent qualitative and quantitative variations.

The venoms extracted from a colubrid snake [Malpolon monspessulanus (Hermann)], seven viperids [Montivipera xanthina (Gray), Montivipera wagneri Nilson &Andrén, Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus), Vipera kaznakovi (Nikolsky), Vipera eriwanensis (Bonaparte), Vipera barani Böhme & Joger, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus)] and an elapid snake [Walterinnesia aegyptia (Lataste)] collected from various region...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible role of tumor necrosis factor in mediating cardiotoxicity following venom injection in a rat. DESIGN A randomized controlled experimental study using a Langendorff isolated heart model. SETTING Animal laboratory. SUBJECTS Adult male Wistar rats. INTERVENTIONS The control group (n = 10) was injected with saline only. Each animal in the experimental g...

Snake venoms are a very abundant source of nerve growth factors (NGF). NGFs of Elapidae showing 65% sequence homology with mouse or human NGF, while the Viperidae NGF shows N-glycosylation (Asn-21) typical of these mammalian NGFs. Snake NGF-induced neurite outgrowth (neurotropic activity) was measured in the past by using PC12 cell or dorsal root ganglion bioassays. The present study was aimed ...

Venoms of most Russian viper species are poorly characterized. Here, by quantitative chromato-mass-spectrometry, we analyzed protein and peptide compositions of venoms from four Vipera species (V. kaznakovi, V. renardi, V. orlovi and V. nikolskii) inhabiting different regions of Russia. In all these species, the main components were phospholipases A₂, their content ranging from 24% in V. orlovi...

Aim. To search fibrinogenolytic enzymes among protein components of Vipera renardi snake venom. Methods. Venom V. as the lyophilized powder was supplied by Trypillia serpentarium. It dissolved in 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 8.3 and fractionated on Superdex G-75 using FPLC system Acta Prime. Peaks were tested for their ability to directly cleave fibrinogen. Hydrolytic products analyzed SDS-PAGE. E...

Snake bites are an endemic public health problem in Iran, both in rural and urban area. Viper venom as a hemolytic biochemical "cocktail" of toxins, primarily cause to the systemic alteration of blood cells. In the sixties and seventies, human erythrocytes were extensively studied, but the mechanical and chemical stresses commonly exerted on red blood cells continue to attract interest of scien...