Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted ascending) Filter |
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| inhibition of neurotoxic secretory phospholipases a(2) enzymatic, edematogenic, and myotoxic activities by harpalycin 2, an isoflavone isolated from harpalyce brasiliana benth. | secretory phospholipases a(2) (spla(2)) exert proinflammatory actions through lipid mediators. these enzymes have been found to be elevated in many inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, and atherosclerosis. the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of harpalycin 2 (har2), an isoflavone isolated from harpalyce brasiliana benth., in the enzymatic, edematogenic, and myotoxic activities of spla(2) from bothrops pirajai, crotalus durissus terrificus, apis mellifera, and ... | 2012 | 22899963 |
| isolation, enzymatic characterization and antiedematogenic activity of the first reported rattlesnake hyaluronidase from crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | a hyaluronidase (cdthya1) from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom (cdtv) was isolated and showed to exhibit a high activity on hyaluronan cleavage. however, surveys on this enzyme are still limited. this study aimed at its isolation, functional/structural characterization and the evaluation of its effect on the spreading of crotoxin and phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)). the enzyme was purified through cation exchange, gel filtration and hydrophobic chromatography. after that, it was submitted t ... | 2012 | 22940594 |
| purification, crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of crotamine, a myotoxic polypeptide from the brazilian snake crotalus durissus terrificus. | crotamine, a highly basic myotoxic polypeptide (molecular mass 4881 da) isolated from the venom of the brazilian rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, causes skeletal muscle contraction and spasms, affects the functioning of voltage-sensitive sodium channels by inducing sodium influx and possesses antitumour activity, suggesting potential pharmaceutical applications. crotamine was purified from c. durissus terrificus venom; the crystals diffracted to 1.9 å resolution and belonged to the orth ... | 2012 | 22949192 |
| hepatozoon spp. (apicomplexa: hepatozoidae) infection and selected hematological values of the neotropical rattlesnake, crotalus durissus collilineatus (linnaeus, 1758) (serpentes: viperidae), from brazil. | this study aims to establish the hematological values of crotalus durissus collilineatus snakes captured in brazil as well as to verify the effects of hematozoan infection on these snakes. eighty-three blood samples were drawn from c. d. collilineatus specimens for analysis. the sample set was composed of 30 males and 30 females, recently caught from the wild, and 11 males and 12 females bred in captivity. blood samples were used to determine red blood cell counts, white blood cell counts, throm ... | 2011 | 22950311 |
| unraveling the antifungal activity of a south american rattlesnake toxin crotamine. | crotamine is a highly basic peptide from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus rattlesnake. its common gene ancestry and structural similarity with the β-defensins, mainly due to an identical disulfide bond pattern, stimulated us to assess the antimicrobial properties of native, recombinant, and chemically synthesized crotamine. antimicrobial activities against standard strains and clinical isolates were analyzed by the colorimetric microdilution method showing a weak antibacterial activity ... | 2013 | 23022146 |
| crotoxin, a rattlesnake toxin, induces a long-lasting inhibitory effect on phagocytosis by neutrophils. | crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom (cdtv) has long-lasting anti-inflammatory properties and inhibits the spreading and phagocytic activity of macrophages. crotoxin (ctx), the main component of cdtv, is responsible for these effects. considering the role of neutrophils in the inflammatory response and the lack of information about the effect of cdtv on neutrophils, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cdtv and ctx on two functions of neutrophils, namely phagocytosis and pr ... | 2012 | 23045721 |
| traditional uses of medicinal animals in the semi-arid region of northeastern brazil. | the present work presents an inventory of the traditional medicinal uses of animals in the municipality of bom sucesso in paraíba state (pb) in the semiarid northeastern region of brazil. information was obtained through the use of semi-structured interviews with 50 people who use zootherapeutic products. a total of 25 animal species used for medicinal purposes were identified (18 vertebrates and seven invertebrates) distributed among five taxonomic categories; the groups with the largest number ... | 2012 | 23050756 |
| dna-interactive properties of crotamine, a cell-penetrating polypeptide and a potential drug carrier. | crotamine, a 42-residue polypeptide derived from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, has been shown to be a cell-penetrating protein that targets chromosomes, carries plasmid dna into cells, and shows specificity for actively proliferating cells. given this potential role as a nucleic acid-delivery vector, we have studied in detail the binding of crotamine to single- and double-stranded dnas of different lengths and base compositions over a range of ionic co ... | 2012 | 23145017 |
| biochemical and biological characterization of two serine proteinases from colombian crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venom. | two clotting serine proteinases, named cdc si and cdc sii, were isolated and characterized for the first time from colombian crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venom. the enzymes were purified using two chromatographic steps: molecular exclusion on sephacryl s-200 and rp-hplc on c8 column. the molecular masses of the proteins, determined by maldi-tof mass spectrometry, were 28,561.4 and 28,799.2 da for cdc si and cdc sii, respectively. the aim of the present study was to evaluate enzymatic, coag ... | 2013 | 23178323 |
| growth inhibitory effects and molecular mechanisms of crotoxin treatment in esophageal eca-109 cells and transplanted tumors in nude mice. | to investigate the antitumor actions of the crotalus durissus neurotoxin (crotoxin) on human esophageal carcinoma (eca-109) cells in vitro and transplanted esophageal eca-109 tumors in nude mice. | 2013 | 23202800 |
| development of snake-directed antipredator behavior by wild white-faced capuchin monkeys: i. snake-species discrimination. | young animals are known to direct alarm calls at a wider range of species than adults. our field study examined age-related differences in the snake-directed antipredator behavior of infant, juvenile, and adult white-faced capuchin monkeys (cebus capucinus) in terms of alarm calling, looking behavior, and aggressive behavior. in the first experiment, we exposed infant and juvenile white-faced capuchins to realistic-looking inflatable models of their two snake predators, the boa constrictior (boa ... | 2013 | 23229464 |
| inhibitory effect of crotalus durissus terrificus venom on chronic edema induced by injection of bacillus calmette-guérin into the footpad of mice. | in this study, we evaluated the effect of the crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) venom on the chronic paw edema induced by the injection of bacillus calmette-guérin (bcg) into the footpad of mice. the bcg injection evoked chronic edema, which was significantly diminished in animals treated subcutaneously (s.c.) with cdt venom 1 h before or after the bcg injection. this inhibition persisted throughout the evaluation period (15 days). in mice injected with cdt venom 6 or 11 days after injection of ... | 2013 | 23246578 |
| cloning and characterization of an antibacterial l-amino acid oxidase from crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. | an l-amino acid oxidase (laao) from crotalus durissus cumanensis venom (cdclaao) was purified to homogeneity using a combination of size-exclusion and ion exchange chromatographies. cdclaao is a monomeric protein exhibiting an apparent molecular mass of 55 kda and a calculated pi of 8. its complete 498-amino-acid sequence was deduced through cdna and protein sequencing. the enzyme oxidized l-leu with k(m) and a v(max) of 9.23 μm and 0.46 μm/min respectively, and exhibited kcat and a kcat/k(m) of ... | 2012 | 23287728 |
| individual venom profiling of crotalus durissus terrificus specimens from a geographically limited region: crotamine assessment and captivity evaluation on the biological activities. | crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) venom major components comprise crotoxin, crotamine, gyroxin and convulxin. crotamine exerts a myotoxic action, among others, but its expression varies even amid snakes from the same region. biochemical, enzymatic and pharmacological variations of venoms may be associated with the geography, climate, gender, age, and diet, as well as captivity time and venom extraction intervals. the present study aimed to characterize the cdt venom from the botucatu region, (s ... | 2013 | 23380403 |
| ablation of the ability to control the right-to-left cardiac shunt does not affect oxygen uptake, specific dynamic action or growth in the rattlesnake crotalus durissus. | the morphologically undivided ventricle of the heart in non-crocodilian reptiles permits the mixing of oxygen-rich blood returning from the lungs and oxygen-poor blood from the systemic circulation. a possible functional significance for this intra-cardiac shunt has been debated for almost a century. unilateral left vagotomy rendered the single effective pulmonary artery of the south american rattlesnake, crotalus durissus, unable to adjust the magnitude of blood flow to the lung. the higher con ... | 2013 | 23393283 |
| characterization of anti-crotalic antibodies. | crotalus durissus terrificus, c. d. collilineatus, c. d. cascavella and c. d. marajoensis are responsible minor but severe snake bites in brazil. the venoms of these snakes share the presence of crotoxin, a neurotoxin comprising of two associated components, crotapotin and phospholipase a2 (pla2). treatment of the victims with specific antiserum is the unique effective therapeutic measure. the ability of anti-crotalus antisera produced by the routine using crude venom to immunize horses or purif ... | 2013 | 23402840 |
| study of crotoxin on the induction of paralysis in extraocular muscle in animal model. | crotoxin is the major toxin of the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, capable of causing a blockade of the neurotransmitters at the neuromuscular junction. the objective of this study was to appraise the action and effectiveness of the crotoxin induced paralysis of the extraocular muscle and to compare its effects with the botulinum toxin type a (bt-a). | 2012 | 23471322 |
| biochemical, pharmacological, and structural characterization of new basic pla2 bbil-tx from bothriopsis bilineata snake venom. | bbil-tx, a pla2, was purified from bothriopsis bilineata snake venom after only one chromatographic step using rp-hplc on μ-bondapak c-18 column. a molecular mass of 14243.8 da was confirmed by q-tof ultima api esi/ms (tof ms mode) mass spectrometry. the partial protein sequence obtained was then submitted to blastp, with the search restricted to pla2 from snakes and shows high identity values when compared to other pla2s. pla2 activity was presented in the presence of a synthetic substrate and ... | 2012 | 23509754 |
| viperid venom glands with defective venom production. morphological study. | the venom of viperid snakes is collected monthly at butantan institute for research purposes and production of antivenoms. here we describe histological and ultrastructural changes on crotalus durissus terrificus and bothrops sp. venom glands with defective venom production. secretory tubules commonly showed partial or total obliteration of their lumina by masses of necrotic cells and cellular debris. secretory cells showed varying degrees of degenerative and/or metaplastic alterations seriously ... | 2013 | 23583664 |
| peripheral kappa and delta opioid receptors are involved in the antinociceptive effect of crotalphine in a rat model of cancer pain. | cancer pain is an important clinical problem and may not respond satisfactorily to the current analgesic therapy. we have characterized a novel and potent analgesic peptide, crotalphine, from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. in the present work, the antinociceptive effect of crotalphine was evaluated in a rat model of cancer pain induced by intraplantar injection of walker 256 carcinoma cells. intraplantar injection of tumor cells caused the development o ... | 2013 | 23628488 |
| coagulopathy as the main systemic manifestation after envenoming by a juvenile south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus): case report. | rattlesnake bites in brazil are generally caused by adult individuals, with most of the envenomed patients showing systemic manifestations that include varying degrees of neurotoxicity (acute myasthenia), rhabdomyolysis and coagulopathy, with only mild or no local manifestations. we report a case of envenoming by a juvenile south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) that involved coagulopathy as the main systemic manifestation. | 2013 | 23713821 |
| crotoxin in humans: analysis of the effects on extraocular and facial muscles. | crotoxin is the main neurotoxin of south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. the neurotoxic action is characterized by a presynaptic blockade. the purpose of this research is to assess the ability of crotoxin to induce temporary paralysis of extraocular and facial muscles in humans. | 2012 | 23715138 |
| bilateral posterior circulation stroke secondary to a crotalid envenomation: case report. | snake bite envenoming is a disease with potential serious neurological complications. we report a case of an adolescent who was bitten by a rattlesnake and developed bilateral posterior circulation stroke. the rattlesnake was later identified as being crotalus durissus terrificus. stroke was probably due to toxic vasculitis or toxin-induced vascular spasm and endothelial damage. | 2013 | 23740059 |
| the evolutionary implications of hemipenial morphology of rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus (laurent, 1768) (serpentes: viperidae: crotalinae). | most amniotes vertebrates have an intromittent organ to deliver semen. the reptile sphenodon and most birds lost the ancestral penis and developed a cloaca-cloaca mating. known as hemipenises, the copulatory organ of squamata shows unique features between the amniotes intromittent organ. they are the only paired intromittent organs across amniotes and are fully inverted and encapsulated in the tail when not in use. the histology and ultrastructure of the hemipenes of crotalus durissus rattlesnak ... | 2013 | 23840551 |
| description of three new species of hepatozoon (apicomplexa, hepatozoidae) from rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus terrificus) based on molecular, morphometric and morphologic characters. | hepatozoon spp. are commonly found infecting snakes. since the latter are parasitized by diverse forms and data in the literature show divergence, we studied hepatozoon spp. diversity on crotalus durissus terrificus snakes using both molecular and morphological approaches. naturally infected animals were employed. blood was collected, blood smears were prepared and an aliquot was stored at -20°c for dna extraction. five specimens of c. durissus terrificus were selected, each of them infected wit ... | 2013 | 23867148 |
| malformations in neotropical viperids: qualitative and quantitative analysis. | malformations can occur in all living species, but there is little information about anomalies that occur in snakes and their frequency. this study assessed malformations in newborn south american pit vipers (bothrops jararaca) and south american rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus) from wild captured pregnant females (240 and 35 litters, respectively). newborn snakes were measured, weighed, sexed and studied grossly and by radiography for the presence of malformations. ninety-five malformed pit vip ... | 2013 | 23885804 |
| antinociceptive activity of crotoxin in the central nervous system: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. | crotoxin, the main neurotoxic component of the venom of south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus), is reported to have potent antinociceptive activity. several authors have shown mainly in behavioral pain models that crotoxin induces antinociceptive effects, supposed to be mediated by actions on the central nervous system. the antinociceptive effects of crotoxin (45 μg/kg ip) in rats were verified in this study by increased response latencies in a hargreaves test and tail flick t ... | 2013 | 23916599 |
| inhibition of venom serine proteinase and metalloproteinase activities by renealmia alpinia (zingiberaceae) extracts: comparison of wild and in vitro propagated plants. | the plant renealmia alpinia has been used in folk medicine to treat snakebites in the northwest region of colombia. in addition, it has been shown to neutralize edema-forming, hemorrhagic, lethal, and defibrin(ogen)ating activities of bothrops asper venom. in this work, extracts of renealmia alpinia obtained by micropropagation (in vitro) and from specimens collected in the wild were tested and compared in their capacity to inhibit enzymatic and toxic activities of a snake venom metalloproteinas ... | 2013 | 23916793 |
| daily and seasonal activity patterns of free range south-american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus). | this study aimed at describing daily and seasonal variation in the activity of a population of south-american rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus) in a savanna like habitat (cerrado) in southeastern brazil. seasonal and daily activities of snakes were evaluated by the number of captures of snakes during road surveys, accidental encounters, and relocations by radio-tracking. our results show that climatic variables such as air temperature and rainfall have little influence on the activity pattern of ... | 2013 | 23969850 |
| involvement of formyl peptide receptors in the stimulatory effect of crotoxin on macrophages co-cultivated with tumour cells. | crotoxin (ctx) is the main neurotoxic component of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. it inhibits tumour growth and modulates the function of macrophages, which are essential cells in the tumour microenvironment. the present study investigated the effect of ctx on the secretory activity of monocultured macrophages and macrophages co-cultivated with llc-wrc 256 cells. the effect of the macrophage secretory activities on tumour cell proliferation was also evaluated. macrophages pre-treated ... | 2013 | 23998941 |
| biochemical, functional, structural and phylogenetic studies on intercro, a new isoform phospholipase a2 from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. | crotoxin is a neurotoxin from crotalus durissus terrificus venom that shows immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumor and analgesic activities. structurally, this toxin is a heterodimeric complex composed by a toxic basic pla2 (crotoxin b or cb) non-covalently linked to an atoxic non-enzymatic and acidic component (crotapotin, crotoxin a or ca). several ca and cb isoforms have been isolated and characterized, showing that the crotoxin venom fraction is, in fact, a mixture of ... | 2013 | 24035779 |
| structure of the polypeptide crotamine from the brazilian rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. | the crystal structure of the myotoxic, cell-penetrating, basic polypeptide crotamine isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus has been determined by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion techniques and refined at 1.7 å resolution. the structure reveals distinct cationic and hydrophobic surface regions that are located on opposite sides of the molecule. this surface-charge distribution indicates its possible mode of interaction with negatively charged phospholipids and other molec ... | 2013 | 24100315 |
| inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase-derived nitric oxide as a therapeutical target for acute pancreatitis induced by secretory phospholipase a2. | nitric oxide is a key signalling molecule in the pathogenesis of inflammation, but its role in acute pancreatitis and related abdominal pain induced by secretory phospholipase a2 (spla2 ) from crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) venom has not been investigated. | 2014 | 24166730 |
| is the population of crotalus durissus (serpentes, viperidae) expanding in brazil? | crotalus durissus are found from mexico to northern argentina in a highly disjunct distribution. according to some studies, this species is prone to occupy areas disturbed by human activities and floods comprise a plausible method of dispersal as inferred for some north american rattlesnakes. based on the literature, it seems plausible that crotalus durissus expanded their natural distribution in brazil due to floods, but only in a few municipalities in rio de janeiro state. data entries of buta ... | 2013 | 24314146 |
| enzyme specificity and effects of gyroxin, a serine protease from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, on protease-activated receptors. | gyroxin is a serine protease displaying a thrombin-like activity found in the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. typically, intravenous injection of purified gyroxin induces a barrel rotation syndrome in mice. the serine protease thrombin activates platelets aggregation by cleaving and releasing a tethered n-terminus peptide from the g-protein-coupled receptors, known as protease-activated receptors (pars). gyroxin also presents pro-coagulant activity suggested ... | 2014 | 24412460 |
| effects of n-acetyl-l-cysteine on redox status and markers of renal function in mice inoculated with bothrops jararaca and crotalus durissus terrificus venoms. | renal dysfunction is an important aggravating factor in accidents caused by crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) and bothrops jararaca (bj) bites. n-acetyl-l-cysteine (nac) is well known as a nephroprotective antioxidant with low toxicity. the present study investigated the effects of nac on redox status and markers of renal function in mice that received vehicle (controls) or venoms (v) of cdt and bj. in controls nac promoted hypercreatinemia, hypouremia, hyperosmolality with decreased urea in ur ... | 2014 | 24412461 |
| intraspecific venom variation in the medically significant southern pacific rattlesnake (crotalus oreganus helleri): biodiscovery, clinical and evolutionary implications. | due to the extreme variation of venom, which consequently results in drastically variable degrees of neutralization by crofab antivenom, the management and treatment of envenoming by crotalus oreganus helleri (the southern pacific rattlesnake), one of the most medically significant snake species in all of north america, has been a clinician's nightmare. this snake has also been the subject of sensational news stories regarding supposed rapid (within the last few decades) evolution of its venom. ... | 2014 | 24463169 |
| in vitro antiophidian mechanisms of hypericum brasiliense choisy standardized extract: quercetin-dependent neuroprotection. | the neuroprotection induced by hypericum brasiliense choisy extract (hbe) and its main active polyphenol compound quercetin, against crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) venom and crotoxin and crotamine, was enquired at both central and peripheral mammal nervous system. cdt venom (10 μg/ml) or crotoxin (1 μg/ml) incubated at mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation (pnd) induced an irreversible and complete neuromuscular blockade, respectively. crotamine (1 μg/ml) only induced an increase of musc ... | 2013 | 24490174 |
| isolation and biochemical characterization of a γ-type phospholipase a2 inhibitor from crotalus durissus collilineatus snake serum. | in the present work, we describe the isolation and partial structural and biochemical characterization of the first phospholipase a2 inhibitor (γpli) from crotalus durissus collilineatus (cdc) snake serum. initially, the cdc serum was subjected to a q-sepharose ion exchange column, producing six peaks at 280 nm absorbance (q1-q6). subsequently, q4 fraction was submitted to affinity chromatography with immobilized pla2 bnsp-7, a step that resulted in two fractions (nhs-1 and nhs-2). the latter co ... | 2014 | 24513130 |
| membrane-modifying properties of crotamine, a small peptide-toxin from crotalus durissus terifficus venom. | crotamine is a small, highly basic myotoxin from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terifficus. it is structurally well defined and exhibits some similarities with the β-defensins of vertebrates. an amazing variety of functions and targets that range from analgesia and tumor-related activity to cell penetration have been associated with crotamine. similar to defensins, it had been argued that crotamine has antimicrobial activity, and this supposition was recently prove ... | 2014 | 24513454 |
| crotalus durissus collilineatus venom induces tnf- α and il-10 production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. | snake venom has been the subject of numerous studies in an attempt to find properties and biological effects that may be beneficial to man. in this study we evaluated in vitro the effects of crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) and crotalus durissus collilineatus (cdc) venom in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (pbmcs). at 24 h, a significant decrease of viable cells was observed in cells stimulated with the cdc venom at 0.0005 mg/ml and 0.005 mg/ml compared to the negative control. at 48 h ... | 2014 | 24563803 |
| an evaluation of 3-rhamnosylquercetin, a glycosylated form of quercetin, against the myotoxic and edematogenic effects of spla 2 from crotalus durissus terrificus. | this paper shows the results of quercitrin effects on the structure and biological activity of secretory phospholipase (spla2) from crotalus durissus terrificus, which is the main toxin involved in the pharmacological effects of this snake venom. according to our mass spectrometry and circular dichroism results, quercetin was able to promote a chemical modification of some amino acid residues and modify the secondary structure of c. d. terrificus spla2. moreover, molecular docking studies showed ... | 2014 | 24696848 |
| crotoxin from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom induces the release of glutamate from cerebrocortical synaptosomes via n and p/q calcium channels. | crotoxin (crtx), the main toxin in the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus snake, is a heterodimer with a basic subunit, cb, and an acidic subunit, ca. cb is a phospholipase a2 that depends on ca to specifically bind to the cell membrane. this toxin acts in the central nervous system (cns) causing chronic seizure effects and other cytotoxic effects. here, we report its action on glutamate release in rat cerebral cortex synaptosomes. aiming at a better understanding of the mechanism of action o ... | 2014 | 24751366 |
| interaction of the rattlesnake toxin crotamine with model membranes. | crotamine is one of the main constituents of the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. a common gene ancestry and structural similarity with the antimicrobial β-defensins (identical disulfide bond pattern and highly positive net charge) suggested potential antimicrobial activities for this snake toxin. although crotamine demonstrated low activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, a pronounced antifungal activity was observed against candida sp ... | 2014 | 24754574 |
| the intrahippocampal infusion of crotamine from crotalus durissus terrificus venom enhances memory persistence in rats. | previous research has shown that crotamine, a toxin isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus, induces the release of acetylcholine and dopamine in the central nervous system of rats. particularly, these neurotransmitters are important modulators of memory processes. therefore, in this study we investigated the effects of crotamine infusion on persistence of memory in rats. we verified that the intrahippocampal infusion of crotamine (1 μg/μl; 1 μl/side) improved the persistence of ... | 2014 | 24813333 |
| insights on the structure of native cnf, an endogenous phospholipase a2 inhibitor from crotalus durissus terrificus, the south american rattlesnake. | several snake species possess endogenous phospholipase a2 inhibitors (sbplis) in their blood plasma, the primary role of which is protection against an eventual presence of toxic phospholipase a2 (pla2) from their venom glands in the circulation. these inhibitors have an oligomeric structure of, at least, three subunits and have been categorized into three classes (α, β and γ) based on their structural features. sbγplis have been further subdivided into two subclasses according to their hetero o ... | 2014 | 24820993 |
| compartment syndrome after south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) envenomation. | in order to report the outcome of a patient who developed compartment syndrome after south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) envenomation, confirmed by subfascial pressure measurement and magnetic resonance imaging (mri). | 2014 | 24940645 |
| loss of the ability to control right-to-left shunt does not influence the metabolic responses to temperature change or long-term fasting in the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus. | abstract in the undivided ventricle of noncrocodilian reptiles, the blood perfusing the systemic circulation is a controlled combination of oxygenated pulmonary blood, flowing from left to right across the heart, and relatively deoxygenated systemic blood, flowing from right to left. a clear inverse correlation has been experimentally established between metabolic demand and the magnitude of right-to-left cardiac shunt in several reptile groups. unilateral left vagotomy renders the single effect ... | 2014 | 24940921 |
| the biflavonoid morelloflavone inhibits the enzymatic and biological activities of a snake venom phospholipase a2. | the biflavonoid morelloflavone has been reported as inhibitor of secretory pla2s (phospholipases a2 from human synovial and bee venom sources); however, its capacity to interact and inhibit snake venom pla2 activities has not been described. in this work we tested the inhibitory ability of morelloflavone on the enzymatic, anticoagulant, myotoxic and edema-inducing activities of a pla2 isolated from crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. the biflavonoid displayed ic50 values of 0.48 mm (95% confiden ... | 2014 | 24995575 |
| anti-inflammatory potential of zootherapeutics derived from animals used in brazilian traditional medicine. | animals are used for the treatment of diseases caused by inflammatory processes, although few studies evaluate their potential for these purposes. | 2014 | 25026349 |
| parasitological and immunological diagnoses from feces of captive-bred snakes at vital brazil institute. | fecal samples from 56 snakes at the vital brazil institute, in the city of niterói, rio de janeiro, were tested using the sedimentation and flotation techniques to investigate the evolutionary forms of parasites such as helminths and protozoa, and using enzyme immunoassay techniques to detect antigens of cryptosporidium sp. and giardia sp. among the animals tested, 80.3% were positive for parasites. out of these, there were 16 bothrops jararaca, 16 b. jararacussu and 13 crotalus durissus. the pr ... | 2014 | 25054488 |
| a new structurally atypical bradykinin-potentiating peptide isolated from crotalus durissus cascavella venom (south american rattlesnake). | venom glands of some snakes synthesize bradykinin-potentiating peptides (bpp's) which increase bradykinin-induced hypotensive effect and decrease angiotensin i vasopressor effect by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ace) inhibition. the present study shows a new bpp (bpp-cdc) isolated from crotalus durissus cascavella venom: pro-asn-leu-pro-asn-tyr-leu-gly-ile-pro-pro. although bpp-cdc presents the classical sequence ipp in the c-terminus, it has a completely atypical n-terminal sequence, which sho ... | 2014 | 25091347 |
| vipericidins: a novel family of cathelicidin-related peptides from the venom gland of south american pit vipers. | cathelicidins are phylogenetically ancient, pleiotropic host defense peptides-also called antimicrobial peptides (amps)-expressed in numerous life forms for innate immunity. since even the jawless hagfish expresses cathelicidins, these genetically encoded host defense peptides are at least 400 million years old. more recently, cathelicidins with varying antipathogenic activities and cytotoxicities were discovered in the venoms of poisonous snakes; for these creatures, cathelicidins may also serv ... | 2014 | 25100358 |
| crotoxin induces apoptosis and autophagy in human lung carcinoma cells in vitro via activation of the p38mapk signaling pathway. | crotoxin (crtx) is the primary toxin in south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) venom, and exhibits antitumor and other pharmacological actions in vivo and in vitro. here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of the antitumor action of crtx in human lung carcinoma cells in vitro. | 2014 | 25132339 |
| assessing the influence of mechanical ventilation on blood gases and blood pressure in rattlesnakes. | to characterize the impact of mechanical positive pressure ventilation on heart rate (hr), arterial blood pressure, blood gases, lactate, glucose, sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations in rattlesnakes during anesthesia and the subsequent recovery period. | 2015 | 25174935 |
| effect of chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid) isolated from baccharis oxyodonta on the structure and pharmacological activities of secretory phospholipase a2 from crotalus durissus terrificus. | the aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 5cqa), isolated from baccharis oxyodonta, on the structure and pharmacological effect of secretory phospholipase a2 (spla2) from crotalus durissus terrificus. all in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted using a purified spla2 compared under the same experimental conditions with spla2 : 5cqa. 5cqa induced several discrete modifications in the secondary structure and the hydrophobic characterist ... | 2014 | 25258715 |
| intrahippocampal infusion of crotamine isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus alters plasma and brain biochemical parameters. | crotamine is one of the main constituents of the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. here we sought to investigate the inflammatory and toxicological effects induced by the intrahippocampal administration of crotamine isolated from crotalus whole venom. adult rats received an intrahippocampal infusion of crotamine or vehicle and were euthanized 24 h or 21 days after infusion. plasma and brain tissue were collected for biochemical analysis. complete blood count, ... | 2014 | 25380458 |
| phospholipase a2 isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus inactivates dengue virus and other enveloped viruses by disrupting the viral envelope. | the flaviviridae family includes several virus pathogens associated with human diseases worldwide. within this family, dengue virus is the most serious threat to public health, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. currently, there are no vaccines or specific antiviral drugs against dengue virus or against most of the viruses of this family. therefore, the development of vaccines and the discovery of therapeutic compounds against the medically most important flaviviruses ... | 2014 | 25383618 |
| first crotoxin-like phospholipase a(2) complex from a new world non-rattlesnake species: nigroviriditoxin, from the arboreal neotropical snake bothriechis nigroviridis. | bothriechis nigroviridis is an arboreal neotropical pitviper found in costa rica and panamá. a previous proteomic profiling of its venom revealed the presence of proteins with homology to the a and b subunits of crotoxin/mojave toxin, a heterodimeric phospholipase a2 (pla2) complex only described in rattlesnake venoms (genera crotalus and sistrurus). the native crotoxin-like heterodimer, named nigroviriditoxin, and its a and b subunits were isolated in the present work, and the complete amino ac ... | 2015 | 25434534 |
| blood oxygen affinity increases during digestion in the south american rattlesnake, crotalus durissus terrificus. | digesting snakes experience massive increases in metabolism that can last for many days and are accompanied by adjustments in the oxygen transport cascade. accordingly, we examined the oxygen-binding properties of the blood in the south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) during fasting and 24 and 48h after the snakes have ingested a rodent meal corresponding to 15% (±2%) of its own body mass. in general, oxygen-hemoglobin (hb-o2) affinity was significantly increased 24h post-fee ... | 2015 | 25446935 |
| soluble prokaryotic expression and purification of crotamine using an n-terminal maltose-binding protein tag. | crotamine is a peptide toxin found in the venom of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. interestingly, crotamine demonstrates promising anticancer, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. the crotamine peptide can also deliver plasmids into rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer and stem cells, and demonstrates potent analgesic effects. efficiently producing crotamine in mammalian cells is difficult because it is both cell-permeable and cytotoxic. prokaryotic expression of this peptid ... | 2014 | 25448388 |
| new immunization protocol to produce crotalic antivenom combining crotalus durissus terrificus venom and its pla2. | antivenoms are usually obtained by animal immunization with successive inoculations of increasing sublethal amounts of venom, which may impair the animal health. the high lethality of venom requires prolonged immunization plans with small amounts of venom. thus, we propose an alternative plan that includes a pre-immunization of the animal with phospholipase a2, the main crotoxin component, which is responsible for the whole venom lethality. for comparison, three different immunization schemes we ... | 2015 | 25453603 |
| does the rattle of crotalus durissus terrificus reveal its dietary history? | environmental devastation threatens the survival of many species, including venomous snakes such as the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. this observation is based on the decrease of snakes collected and donated to brazilian research institutes. nevertheless, some individuals have managed to survive and procreate. the question is how these snakes are adapting in these new environmental conditions. | 2014 | 25540653 |
| identification of crotamine in the venom of crotalus durissus collilineatus by three different methods. | the use of mice for the identification of crotamine has been the motive of discussions of bioethical character and technical (efficiency), so that a reassessment of the use of animals in experiments is global trend the search for alternative tests. the objective of this study was to standardize a method for hplc-pda to identify the presence of crotamine in the venom of rattlesnakes, aiming to propose an alternative methodology to reduce or replace the use of animals. the cdc was evaluated as to ... | 2015 | 25553594 |
| neuromuscular effects of venoms and crotoxin-like proteins from crotalus durissus ruruima and crotalus durissus cumanensis. | a myographic study was performed to compare the neuromuscular effects of venoms and crotoxin-like proteins from crotalus durissus ruruima and crotalus durissus cumanensis in mice phrenic-diaphragm preparation. it was concluded that both venoms present neurotoxic activity as a consequence of their crotoxin content. furthermore, crotoxin from c.d. cumanensis is more potent than that from c.d. ruruima venom. at the concentration range in which both venoms express neurotoxic activity, only c.d. cuma ... | 2015 | 25598498 |
| biodegradable microparticles containing crotamine isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus display antileishmanial activity in vitro. | to evaluate antileishmanial activity of crotamine, a toxin isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus, in solution form and encapsulated in biodegradable microparticles in vitro. | 2015 | 25633844 |
| massive muscular infection by a sarcocystis species in a south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus). | massive numbers of sarcocysts of a previously undescribed species of sarcocystis were observed in the skeletal muscles throughout the body of an adult, female south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus). examination of tissue sections by light microscopy demonstrated that sarcocysts were present in 20 to 40% of muscle fibers from 5 sampled locations. sarcocysts were not present in cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, or other organs. sarcocysts were 0.05-0.15 mm wide, had variable length ... | 2015 | 25658773 |
| crotoxin from crotalus durissus terrificus is able to down-modulate the acute intestinal inflammation in mice. | inflammatory bowel diseases (ibd) is the result of dysregulation of mucosal innate and adaptive immune responses. factors such as genetic, microbial and environmental are involved in the development of these disorders. accordingly, animal models that mimic human diseases are tools for the understanding the immunological processes of the ibd as well as to evaluate new therapeutic strategies. crotoxin (ctx) is the main component of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and has an immunomodulato ... | 2015 | 25853847 |
| caryospora bigenetica (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) in south america: new hosts and distribution records. | the coccidian caryospora bigenetica was first described in the snake crotalus horridus (viperidae) from united states of america. this study represents the first record of the occurrence of c. bigenetica in snakes in south america. feces were sampled between november 2013 and may 2014 from 256 wild snakes maintained in scientific breeding facilities in the states of mato grosso do sul (ms; n = 214) and rio de janeiro (rj; n = 42), brazil. caryospora bigenetica was found in 14 (5.6%) snakes, all ... | 2015 | 25909262 |
| myocardial damage induced by tropical rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) venom in rats. | this article describes the light and electron microscopic appearance of the rat myocardium at various time intervals after the administration of crotalus durissus terrificus venom by intraperitoneal route. the crotalid envenomation produced small foci of myocardial necrosis scattered throughout the base of the ventricles. these lesions were predominantly perivascular and were associated with slight to moderate interstitial edema as well as infiltration of mononuclear cells and of a great number ... | 2015 | 25990526 |
| new insights into the structural characteristics of irradiated crotamine. | since ionizing radiation has the potential to alter the molecular structure and affect the biological properties of biomolecules, it has been successfully employed to attenuate animal toxins. the present study aimed to characterize the structural modifications on irradiated crotamine, a toxin from crotalus durissus terrificus venom, using circular dichroism (cd), fluorescence, fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ftir), atomic force microscopy (afm) and differential scanning calorimetry (d ... | 2015 | 26029245 |
| p9a(cdt-pla2) from crotalus durissus terrificus as good immunogen to be employed in the production of crotalic anti-pla2 igg. | four proteins with phospholipase a2 (pla2) activity, designated p9a(cdt-pla2), p9b(cdt-pla2), p10a(cdt-pla2) and p10b(cdt-pla2) were purified from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus by two chromatographic steps: a gel filtration and reversed phase hplc. the profile obtained clearly shows that three of them have a similar abundance. the molecular mass, 14193.8340da for p9a(cdt-pla2), 14134.9102da for p9b(cdt-pla2), 14242.6289da for p10a(cdt-pla2) and 14183.8730da for p10b(cdt-pla2), were i ... | 2015 | 26129711 |
| a new phospholipase a₂ from lachesis muta rhombeata: purification, biochemical and comparative characterization with crotoxin b. | phospholipases a2 (pla2s) are enzymes responsible for inflammatory effects, edema formation, myotoxicity, neurotoxicity and other manifestations from envenoming. in this paper we report the isolation and biochemical characterization of lmr-pla2, the first acidic pla2 found in lachesis muta rhombeata venom. furthermore, this study compared biological effects of lmr-pla2 and crotoxin b (cb), a pla2 from crotalus durissus terrificus venom. lmr-pla2 was isolated by molecular exclusion and reversed p ... | 2015 | 26145564 |
| expression of a new serine protease from crotalus durissus collilineatus venom in pichia pastoris and functional comparison with the native enzyme. | snake venom serine proteases (svsps) act primarily on plasma proteins related to blood clotting and are considered promising for the treatment of several hemostatic disorders. we report the heterologous expression of a serine protease from crotalus durissus collilineatus, named collinein-1, in pichia pastoris, as well as the enzymatic comparative characterization of the toxin in native and recombinant forms. the complementary dna (cdna) encoding collinein-1 was amplified from cdna library of c. ... | 2015 | 26227411 |
| a new heterologous fibrin sealant as a scaffold to cartilage repair-experimental study and preliminary results. | autologous fibrin gel is commonly used as a scaffold for filling defects in articular cartilage. this biomaterial can also be used as a sealant to control small hemorrhages and is especially helpful in situations where tissue reparation capacity is limited. in particular, fibrin can act as a scaffold for various cell types because it can accommodate cell migration, differentiation, and proliferation. despite knowledge of the advantages of this biomaterial and mastery of the techniques required f ... | 2016 | 26264444 |
| bordonein-l, a new l-amino acid oxidase from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom: isolation, preliminary characterization and enzyme stability. | crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdtv) is one of the most studied snake venoms in brazil. despite presenting several well known proteins, its l-amino acid oxidase (laao) has not been studied previously. this study aimed to isolate, characterize and evaluate the enzyme stability of bordonein-l, an laao from cdtv. | 2015 | 26273287 |
| oxygenation properties and isoform diversity of snake hemoglobins. | available data suggest that snake hemoglobins (hbs) are characterized by a combination of unusual structural and functional properties relative to the hbs of other amniote vertebrates, including oxygenation-linked tetramer-dimer dissociation. however, standardized comparative data are lacking for snake hbs, and the hb isoform composition of snake red blood cells has not been systematically characterized. here we present the results of an integrated analysis of snake hbs and the underlying α- and ... | 2015 | 26354849 |
| pegylation: a successful approach to improve the biopharmaceutical potential of snake venom thrombin-like serine protease. | pegylation is considered a successful technique to enhance the therapeutic and biotechnological potentials of peptides, proteins, toxins and drugs. the conjugation of polyethylene glycol (peg) increases the size and molecular weight of conjugated molecule and improves its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodinamics by increasing water solubility, protecting from enzymatic degradation, reducing renal clearance and limiting immunogenic and antigenic reactions. these features are very useful for therapeu ... | 2015 | 26458403 |
| in vitro activity of phospholipase a2 and of peptides from crotalus durissus terrificus venom against amastigote and promastigote forms of leishmania (l.) infantum chagasi. | american visceral leishmaniasis is caused by the intracellular parasite leishmania (l.) infantum chagasi, and transmitted by the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis. since treatment is based on classical chemotherapeutics with significant side effects, the search for new drugs remains the greatest global challenge. thus, this in vitro study aimed to evaluate the leishmanicidal effect of crotalus durissus terrificus venom fractions on promastigote and amastigote forms of leishmania (l.) infantum chaga ... | 2015 | 26609302 |
| crotamine stimulates phagocytic activity by inducing nitric oxide and tnf-α via p38 and nfκ-b signaling in raw 264.7 macrophages. | crotamine is a peptide toxin found in the venom of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus and has antiproliferative, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. herein, we show that crotamine dose-dependently induced macrophage phagocytic and cytostatic activity by the induction of nitric oxide (no) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (tnf-α). moreover, the crotamineinduced expression of inos and tnf-α is mediated through the phosphorylation of p38 and the nf-κb signaling cascade in macrophages. ... | 2016 | 26818089 |
| anti-leptospira spp. antibodies in crotalus durissus collilineatus kept in captivity and its zoonotic relevance. | leptospirosis is a worldwide spread zoonosis that can affect all groups of vertebrates, including reptiles. because it has been little studied in snakes, this study focused on determining the occurrence of anti-leptospira spp. antibodies in 64 crotalus durissus collilineatus kept in captivity and on identifying the most common serovars in these animals, using the microscopic agglutination test. of these, almost 90% were positive and there were reactions to the 22 serovars used in the study. the ... | 2016 | 26875762 |
| clinical presentation and management of an aruban rattlesnake bite in the netherlands. | bites by aruban rattlesnake (crotalus durissus unicolor) are rare and not known to induce severe envenomations. here, we present a case of a 57 year-old man bitten by his pet aruban rattlesnake (crotalus durissus unicolor). he was admitted to hospital within 15 min. three and a half hours later his fibrinogen concentration decreased to 0.6 g/l (normal: 2.0-4.0). nine hours post-bite, he was treated with polyvalent snake antivenom covering crotalus durissus. three hours later his fibrinogen becam ... | 2016 | 27023827 |
| microscopic agglutination test on captive rattlesnakes : data on serovars and titers. | the microscopic agglutination test (mat) is considered the "golden standard" leptospirosis serodiagnostic test, but there is little information about it as it pertains to snakes. to fill this information gap, we provide data on serovars and titers of fifty-six crotalus durissus collilineatus sera samples that tested positive by mat (10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.02.006 (rodrigues et al., 2016) [5]). these data are presented in a table, along with a description of the methodology used for sample col ... | 2016 | 27077089 |
| inhibitory effect of pinostrobin from renealmia alpinia, on the enzymatic and biological activities of a pla2. | pinostrobin is a flavanone isolated from renealmia alpinia, a plant used in folk medicine to treat snakebites. we tested the inhibitory ability of pinostrobin on the enzymatic, anticoagulant, myotoxic and edema-inducing activities of a pla2 isolated from crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. the compound displayed ic50 values of 1.76mm and 1.85mm (95% confidence intervals: 1.34-2.18 and 1.21-2.45) on the pla2 enzymatic activity, when either aggregated or monodispersed substrates were used, respect ... | 2016 | 27109758 |
| walker 256 tumor growth suppression by crotoxin involves formyl peptide receptors and lipoxin a₄. | we investigated the effects of crotoxin (ctx), the main toxin of south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) venom, on walker 256 tumor growth, the pain symptoms associated (hyperalgesia and allodynia), and participation of endogenous lipoxin a4. treatment with ctx (s.c.), daily, for 5 days reduced tumor growth at the 5th day after injection of walker 256 carcinoma cells into the plantar surface of adult rat hind paw. this observation was associated with inhibition of new blood ves ... | 2016 | 27190493 |
| flow cytometric characterization of peripheral blood leukocyte populations of 3 neotropical snake species: boa constrictor, bothrops jararaca, and crotalus durissus. | the reptilian immune system is represented by innate, humoral, and cell-mediated mechanisms, involving different types of blood leukocytes. the development of optimized methods for the advanced study of origin and function of reptilian blood leukocytes is needed. | 2016 | 27213293 |
| molecular identification of spirometra spp. (cestoda: diphyllobothriidae) in some wild animals from brazil. | species of the genus spirometra are diphyllobothriid tapeworms with complex life cycles and are involved in human sparganosis, a neglected disease that affects individuals worldwide. although some species were reported in wild felids and human cases of sparganosis were described in brazil, the biology and taxonomy of these parasites are poorly understood. in the present study, samples of diphyllobothriids (eggs and/or proglottids) obtained from the stools of wild carnivores (leopardus pardalis a ... | 2016 | 27235572 |
| rattlesnake phospholipase a2 increases cftr-chloride channel current and corrects ∆f508cftr dysfunction: impact in cystic fibrosis. | deletion of phe508 in the nucleotide binding domain (∆f508-nbd1) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (cftr; a cyclic amp-regulated chloride channel) is the most frequent mutation associated with cystic fibrosis. this mutation affects the maturation and gating of cftr protein. the search for new high-affinity ligands of cftr acting as dual modulators (correctors/activators) presents a major challenge in the pharmacology of cystic fibrosis. snake venoms are a rich source of natural mult ... | 2016 | 27241308 |
| vagal tone regulates cardiac shunts during activity and at low temperatures in the south american rattlesnake, crotalus durissus. | the undivided ventricle of non-crocodilian reptiles allows for intracardiac admixture of oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich blood returning via the atria from the systemic circuit and the lungs. the distribution of blood flow between the systemic and pulmonary circuits may vary, based on differences between systemic and pulmonary vascular conductances. the south american rattlesnake, crotalus durissus, has a single pulmonary artery, innervated by the left vagus. activity in this nerve controls pulmonar ... | 2016 | 27294346 |
| isolation, characterization and screening of the in vitro cytotoxic activity of a novel l-amino acid oxidase (laaocdt) from crotalus durissus terrificus venom on human cancer cell lines. | an l-amino acid oxidase (laaocdt) from crotalus durissus terrificus venom was purified to homogeneity in a two-step procedure using molecular exclusion on sephadex g-75, followed by phenyl sepharose ff chromatography. the molecular mass of the purified enzyme was 113 kda, as determined by sds-page under reducing conditions. laaocdt showed amino acid homology to other l-amino acid oxidases isolated from different snake venoms. the comparative analysis of the internal peptide sequences of the nnpg ... | 2016 | 27317870 |
| crotalphine desensitizes trpa1 ion channels to alleviate inflammatory hyperalgesia. | crotalphine is a structural analogue to a novel analgesic peptide that was first identified in the crude venom from the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. although crotalphine's analgesic effect is well established, its direct mechanism of action remains unresolved. the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of crotalphine on ion channels in peripheral pain pathways. we found that picomolar concentrations of crotalphine selectively activate heterologously ex ... | 2016 | 27434506 |
| venom yield and its relationship with body size and fang separation of pit vipers from argentina. | the amount of venom that a snake can inject is related to its body size. the body size is related to head size and to the distance between fangs. to correlate snake body size, distance between fangs and distance between puncture wounds with the venom yield (and consequently with the venom dose potentially injected in a single snakebite), we studied these variables in two species of public health importance in south america, bothrops (rhinocerophis) alternatus, and crotalus durissus terrificus. i ... | 2016 | 27546705 |
| direct spinal ventral root repair following avulsion: effectiveness of a new heterologous fibrin sealant on motoneuron survival and regeneration. | axonal injuries at the interface between central and peripheral nervous system, such as ventral root avulsion (vra), induce important degenerative processes, mostly resulting in neuronal and motor function loss. in the present work, we have compared two different fibrin sealants, one derived from human blood and another derived from animal blood and crotalus durissus terrificus venom, as a promising treatment for this type of injury. lewis rats were submitted to vra (l4-l6) and had the avulsed r ... | 2016 | 27642524 |
| identification of antinociceptive fraction of snake venom from crotalus durissus collilineatus crotamine-negative and its acute toxicity evaluation. | the crude venom of the snake crotalus durissus collilineatus (cdc) promotes neurological signs and symptoms in accidents involving humans and animals and the victims reports analgesia at the bite site, without tissue destruction. studies shows that cdc has analgesic activity, among others. the crude venom is considered unsuitable for therapeutic purposes, with encouragement to the fractionation and purification of the same. thus, the aim with cdc venom is: to perform fractionation by preparative ... | 2016 | 27720975 |
| inhibition of proteases and phospholipases a2 from bothrops atrox and crotalus durissus terrificus snake venoms by ascorbic acid, vitamin e, and b-complex vitamins. | the enzyme inhibition by natural and/ or low-cost compounds may represent a valuable adjunct to traditional serotherapy performed in cases of snakebite, mainly with a view to mitigate the local effects of envenoming. the objective of this study was to evaluate possible interactions between vitamins and enzymes that comprise bothrops atrox and crotalus durissus terrificus venoms, in vitro. proteolysis inhibition assays (substrates: azocasein, collagen, gelatin and fibrinogen), hemolysis, coagulat ... | 2016 | 27737338 |
| effect of a biostimulatory homeopathic complex on venom production in captive rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus). | the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two administration methods of a biostimulatory homeopathic complex (convert h(®)) on the production of fresh and lyophilized venom of rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus) under intensive captivity conditions. sixty snakes were subjected to treatment following a randomized block design. the effects of sex and size were controlled for. thirteen consecutive extractions were performed over 21 months. the first factor considered in the experiment wa ... | 2016 | 27914573 |
| endogenous phospholipase a2 inhibitors in snakes: a brief overview. | the blood plasma of numerous snake species naturally comprises endogenous phospholipase a2 inhibitors, which primarily neutralize toxic phospholipases a2 that may eventually reach their circulation. this inhibitor type is generally known as snake blood phospholipase a2 inhibitors (sbplis). most, if not all sbplis are oligomeric glycosylated proteins, although the carbohydrate moiety may not be essential for pla2 inhibition in every case. the presently known sbplis belong to one of three structur ... | 2016 | 28031735 |
| a phospholipase a2-related snake venom (from crotalus durissus terrificus) stimulates neuroendocrine and immune functions: determination of different sites of action. | 1998 | 28200362 | |
| biophysical studies suggest a new structural arrangement of crotoxin and provide insights into its toxic mechanism. | crotoxin (ctx) is the main neurotoxin found in crotalus durissus rattlesnake venoms being composed by a nontoxic and non-enzymatic component (ca) and a toxic phospholipase a2 (cb). previous crystallographic structures of ctx and cb provided relevant insights: (i) ctx structure showed a 1:1 molecular ratio between ca and cb, presenting three tryptophan residues in the ca/cb interface and one exposed to solvent; (ii) cb structure displayed a tetrameric conformation. this study aims to provide furt ... | 2017 | 28256632 |
| vascular distensibilities have minor effects on intracardiac shunt patterns in reptiles. | the different vascular distensibilities of systemic and pulmonary circuits were recently proposed as an important mechanism defining the direction of cardiac shunt and the distribution of cardiac output in vertebrates with undivided cardiac ventricles. in short, the more distensible pulmonary vascular bed was proposed to accommodate a larger portion of the blood ejected from the heart when cardiac output increases. to evaluate this hypothesis, we performed a meta-analysis based on fourteen previ ... | 2017 | 28390664 |