title: A comparative study of the biological activities of venoms from snakes of the genus Agkistrodon (moccasins and copperheads).
abstract: 1. The hemorrhagic, procoagulant, anticoagulant, phosphodiesterase, alkaline phosphomonoesterase, 5'-nucleotidase, hyaluronidase, arginine ester hydrolase, phospholipase A, L-amino acid oxidase and protease activities of 31 samples of venom from three species of Agkistrodon (A. bilineatus, A. contortrix and A. piscivorus) and 10 venom samples from five other related species belonging to the same tribe of Agkistrodontini were examined. 2. The results indicate that interspecific differences in certain biological activities of the Agkistrodon venoms are more marked than individual variations of the activities, and that these differences can be used for differentiation of the species. Particularly useful for this purpose are the phosphodiesterase, arginine ester hydrolase and anticoagulant activities of the venoms. 3. Venoms of the subspecies of A. contortrix and A. piscivorus do not differ significantly in their biological activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponnudurai
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase / Q000378:metabolism; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000925:Anticoagulants; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D050830:L-Amino Acid Oxidase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: C031442:Agkistrodon venoms; D000925:Anticoagulants; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D050830:L-Amino Acid Oxidase; C019724:arginine esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D010741:Phospholipases A; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases