title: Biochemical and biological activities of the venom of a new species of pitviper from Vietnam, Triceratolepidophis sieversorum.
abstract: Biochemical and biological activities of a venom sample from a recently discovered new genus and species of pitviper from Vietnam, Triceratolepidophis sieversorum, were assayed and compared with those of five other viperid snakes (Bothrops asper, Crotalus atrox, Protobothrops flavoviridis, Trimeresurus insularis, and Vipera ammodytes). The venom had high casein hydrolysis, arginine ester hydrolysis and haemorrhagic activities, lacked measurable phosphodiesterase and L-amino acid oxidase activities, and had no procoagulant activity on either bovine fibrinogen or human plasma. Other enzymatic activities (phospholipase A(2), kallikrein) were moderate. The approximate i.p. LD(50) (mice) of the venom is about 5-6 mg/kg.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum de Rechtsmedizin, University of Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, D-60596, Frankfurt, Germany. mebs@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mebs
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kuch
authors.forename: Hans Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziegler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004952:Esters; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007610:Kallikreins / Q000378:metabolism; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014744:Vietnam; D017819:Viperidae / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D004952:Esters; D001120:Arginine; D010741:Phospholipases A; D007610:Kallikreins