title: Pathological and biochemical changes induced in mice after intramuscular injection of venom from newborn specimens of the snake Bothrops asper (Terciopelo).
abstract: Venom from newborn Bothrops asper snakes has higher lethal, hemorrhagic, edema-forming, proteolytic and defibrinating activities than venom from adult B. asper specimens. Electrophoretic analysis confirmed the variation between these venoms. Intramuscular injection of 100 micrograms of venom from newborn specimens in mice induced defibrination, together with moderate increments of serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, hemoglobin and total proteins. A conspicuous hemorrhage developed in injected muscle rapidly after envenomation, probably due to a drastic alteration in capillaries and larger blood vessels. Other histological alterations included moderate myonecrosis, lung collapse and prominent renal damage, characterized by tubular necrosis and hyalinization. Polyvalent antivenom effectively neutralized lethal, hemorrhagic and indirect hemolytic activities of newborn B. asper venom, although requiring higher antivenom doses than neutralization of venom from adult B. asper.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brenes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D000997:Antivenins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009500:Neutralization Tests
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D004798:Enzymes; D006454:Hemoglobins