The efficacy of the bothropic/crotalic antivenom on the neuralization of the main Bothrops jararacussu venom activities | A EFICACIA DO ANTIVENENO BOTROPICO-CROTALICO NA NEUTRALIZACAO DAS PRINCIPAIS ATIVIDADES DO VENENO DE BOTHROPS JARARACUSSU

Myonecrosis is one of the effects of Bothrops jararacussu venom, from which a myotoxin was isolated showing structural homology to phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂), but without enzimatic activity. Such myotoxic activity is also present in the Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, and is atributed to crotoxin and to PLA₂ (crotoxin B), the basic component of the crotoxin complex. The Bothrops jararacussu venom showed three proteins with immunologic identity to PLA₂ from crotoxin. The bothropic (AB) and the bothropic/crotalic (AB/C) antivenoms, two commercial polyvalent antivenoms produced at Instituto Butantan, were compared in order to assess their capacity for neutralization of the lethal, hemorrhagic, coagulant and myotoxic activities of Bothrops jararacussu venom. Both antivenoms showed the same level of hemorrhagic activity neutralization. However, AB/C was about three times more efficient than AB in neutralizing the myotoxic activity, and two times more potent for neutralization of lethality and coagulant activity of Bothrops jararacussu venom. These data suggest that the use of AB/C could be of value in the treatment of patients bitten by snakes of this species.

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