| isolation of a new l-amino acid oxidase from crotalus durissus cascavella venom. | a novel l-amino acid oxidase (lao) (casca lao) from crotalus durissus cascavella venom was purified to a high degree of molecular homogeneity using a combination of molecular exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography system. the purified monomer of lao presented a molecular mass of 68 kda and pi estimated in 5.43, which were determined by two-dimensional electrophoresis. the 71st n-terminal amino acid sequence of the lao from crotalus durissus cascavella presented a high amino acid sequence simi ... | 2006 | 16307769 |
| biological activities of a lectin from bothrops jararacussu snake venom. | snake venoms contain saccharide-binding lectins. in this work, we examined the biological activities of a lectin (bjcul) purified from bothrops jararacussu snake venom by chromatography on non-derivatized sepharose 4b and sephacryl s-200 hr. the protein, a homodimer with subunits of 14.5 kda, gave a single immunoprecipitin line in immunoelectrophoresis and cross-reacted in elisa with antivenoms raised against bothrops spp. (lanceheads), micrurus spp. (coral snakes), crotalus durissus terrificus ... | 2006 | 16309723 |
| lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids are involved in the inhibitory effect of crotalus durissus terrificus venom or crotoxin on rat macrophage phagocytosis. | crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and its major toxin, crotoxin or type ii pla2 subunit of this toxin, induce an inhibitory effect on spreading and phagocytosis in 2h incubated macrophages. the involvement of arachidonate-derived mediators on the inhibitory action of the venom or toxins on rat peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis was presently investigated. peritoneal cells harvested from naive rats and incubated with the venom or toxins or harvested from the peritoneal cavity of rats pre-t ... | 2006 | 16373074 |
| in vitro effects of crotalus durissus terrificus and bothrops jararaca venoms on giardia duodenalis trophozoites. | considering the snake venoms' pharmacological properties and chemotherapeutic potential as well as the need for new alternatives for giardia infection treatment, the present study was carried out aiming to evaluate the in vitro effects of crude crotalus durissus terrificus and bothrops jararaca venoms on the growth and adherence of giardia duodenalis trophozoites. trophozoites (10(6)) were exposed to serial twofold dilutions of c. durissus terrificus and b. jararaca venoms that ranged from 3.125 ... | 2006 | 16378220 |
| effects of crotalus durissus collilineatus venom in the isolated rat kidney. | ophidian accidents caused by the subspecies crotalus durissus are responsible for high morbity and mortality rates. acute renal failure is a common complication observed in these accidents. the aim of the present study was to investigate the renal effects promoted by the venom of c. d. collilineatus and its fractions, crotoxin and phospholipase a2. c. d. collilineatus (cdc; 30 microg ml(-1)), crotoxin (ctx; 10 microg ml(-1)) and phospholipase a2 (pla2; 10 microg ml(-1)) were tested in isolated r ... | 2006 | 16427672 |
| effect of multimer size and a natural dimorphism on the binding of convulxin to platelet glycoprotein (gp)vi. | convulxin (cvx), a c-type lectin from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus, is a potent activator of human platelets, binding predominantly to glycoprotein (gp)vi. native cvx is an octamer composed of four alphabeta-heterodimers [(alphabeta)(4)]. two different native sequences have been reported, one bearing lysine (k), the other glutamic acid (e), at beta chain residue 89, but the physiological relevance of this difference is unknown. | 2006 | 16689765 |
| crotoxin induces actin reorganization and inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation and activity of small gtpases in rat macrophages. | crotoxin is the main neurotoxic component of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. previous work of our group demonstrated that this toxin or its phospholipase a(2) subunit inhibits macrophage spreading and phagocytosis. the phagocytic activity of macrophages is controlled by the rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton and activity of the small rho gtpases. the effect of crotoxin and its subunit on actin reorganization and tyrosine phosphorylation in rat peritoneal macrophages, during phagocytos ... | 2006 | 16737726 |
| human platelets activation by convulxin is accompanied by tyrosyl-phosphorylation of plcgamma2 and occurs independently of integrin alphaiibbeta3. | in the present report we show that convulxin (cvx), a c-type lectin from crotalus durissus terrificus venom, induces platelet agregation and phospholipase c (plc) activation by a protein tyrosine kinase (ptk)-dependent pathway. in addition, cvx stimulates a rapid increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of human platelet proteins with molecular masses of 40, 72/74, 78/80 and 120 kda, followed by dephosphorylation of some proteins. however, platelet aggregation was accompanied by the phosphorylation ... | 1998 | 16793699 |
| convulxin-induced platelet adhesion and aggregation: involvement of glycoproteins vi and iaiia. | the interaction of convulxin (cvx), a 72-kda glycoprotein isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus with human platelets has been studied. cvx at low concentrations (below 100 pm) induced platelet aggregation, dense body secretion and intracellular calcium mobilization which indicates that cvx is a potent activator of human platelets. cvx-induced platelet aggregation and secretion was inhibited by 6fl an anti-integrin alpha2beta1 monoclonal antibody that was without effect on calci ... | 1998 | 16793703 |
| opiate and acetylcholine-independent analgesic actions of crotoxin isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus is reported to have analgesic activity and the administration of crotoxin (cro) to cancer patients is reported to reduce the consumption of analgesics. this study investigated the analgesia induced by cro and the effects of atropine and naloxone on the antinociceptive activity of cro in mice and rats. the results showed that cro at 66.5, 44.3 and 29.5microg/kg (ip) exhibited a dose-dependent analgesic action in mice using the hotplate and acetic acid wri ... | 2006 | 16857228 |
| distribution of (125)i-labeled crotamine in mice tissues. | crotamine is a strong basic polypeptide from crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt) venom composed of 42 amino acid residues tightly bound by three disulfide bonds. it causes skeletal muscle spasms leading to spastic paralysis of hind limbs in mice. the objective of this paper was to study the distribution of crotamine injected intraperitoneally (ip) in mice. crotamine was purified from cdt venom by gel filtration followed by ion exchange chromatography, using a fast-performance liquid chromatograph ... | 2006 | 16919696 |
| a novel peptide from the acei/bpp-cnp precursor in the venom of crotalus durissus collilineatus. | in crotaline venoms, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors [aceis, also known as bradykinin potentiating peptides (bpps)], are products of a gene coding for an acei/bpp-c-type natriuretic peptide (cnp) precursor. in the genes from bothrops jararaca and gloydius blomhoffii, acei/bpp sequences are repeated. sequencing of a cdna clone from venom glands of crotalus durissus collilineatus showed that two aceis/bpps are located together at the n-terminus, but without repeats. an additional sequence ... | 2006 | 16979945 |
| the effect of treatment with crotapotin on the evolution of experimental autoimmune neuritis induced in lewis rats. | biomedical research in which venom components are being investigated for their potential as novel therapeutic agents has emerged as an interesting option. crotapotin, which is purified from the venom of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, has been described as an anti-inflammatory agent that acts on the innate arm of the immune response. here we have demonstrated that intraperitoneal administration of crotapotin significantly reduces the severity of experimental autoimmune neuritis (ea ... | 2007 | 17145071 |
| biological and structural characterization of crotoxin and new isoform of crotoxin b pla(2) (f6a) from crotalus durissus collilineatus snake venom. | a new crotoxin b isoform pla(2) (f6a), from crotalus durissus collilineatus was purified from by one step reverse phase hplc chromatography using mu-bondapack c-18 column analytic. the new crotoxin b isoform pla(2) (f6a), complex crotoxin, the catalytic subunit crotoxin b isoform pla(2) (f6a) and two crotapotin isoforms (f3 and f4), were isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus collilineatus. the crotapotins isoforms f3 and f4 had similar chemical properties, the two proteins different in th ... | 2007 | 17203389 |
| isolation and biochemical characterization of a galactoside binding lectin from bauhinia variegata candida (bvcl) seeds. | a new lectin (bvcl) from seeds of a primitive brazilian caesalpinoideae, the bauhinia variegata candida was purified and biochemical characterized. bvcl was isolated by gel filtration chromatography on sephadex g75 and affinity chromatography on immobilized d: -lactose column. sds-page showed that bvcl under non-reducing condition presents two bands of 68 and 32 kda and a single band of 32 kda in reducing condition. however, only one band was seen in native page. the hemagglutination activity of ... | 2007 | 17203390 |
| biochemical, pharmacological and structural characterization of two pla2 isoforms cdr-12 and cdr-13 from crotalus durissus ruruima snake venom. | cdr-12 and cdr-13 isoforms of pla2, a d49 protein, were purified from crotalus durissus ruruima venom after one chromatographic step, reverse phase hplc on micro-bondapack c-18. the molecular mass by sds-page of cdr-12 and cdr-13 isoforms of pla2 was 14333.49 da and 14296.42 da, respectively and confirmed by maldi-tof mass spectrometry. the amino acid composition showed that both isoforms cdr-12 and cdr-13 have a high content of lys, tyr, gly, arg, and 14 half-cys residues, typical of a basic pl ... | 2007 | 17203396 |
| chromatin supraorganization, dna fragmentation, and cell death in erythrocytes of the rattlesnake, crotalus durissus terrificus (serpentes, viperidae), infected with the protozoan, hepatozoon spp. (apicomplexa, hepatozoidae). | forms of the protozoan of the hepatozoon genus are detected free in the circulation and also within some of the erythrocytes of infected snakes. in healthy snakes, dna fragmentation and cell death usually affect a few circulating erythrocytes in agreement with the long life span expected for these cells. in the present study we investigated whether infection by hepatozoon spp. affected the incidence of dna fragmentation and cell death in erythrocytes from the rattlesnake, crotalus durissus terri ... | 2007 | 17208020 |
| rabbit igg antibodies against phospholipase a2 from crotalus durissus terrificus neutralize the lethal activity of the venom. | crotalus durissus terrificus (c.d.t.) (south american rattlesnake) venom possesses myotoxic and neurotoxic activities, both of which are also expressed by crotoxin, the principal toxin of this venom. crotoxin contains a basic phospholipase a2 (pla2) and a non toxic acidic protein, crotapotin. we have produced and investigated the ability of igg antibodies raised in rabbits against pla2 to neutralize the lethality of the whole venom. pla2 was isolated by gel filtration chromatography (sephadex g- ... | 2006 | 17240621 |
| bothrops jararaca and crotalus durissus terrificus venoms elicit distinct responses regarding to production of prostaglandins e2 and d2, and expression of cyclooxygenases. | prostaglandins (pgs), synthesized by cyclooxygenases, play important roles in many pathophysiological processes including inflammation and hyperalgesia. in this study the profiles of pge(2) and pgd(2) production secondary to injection of bothrops jararaca venom (bjv), with inflammatory activity or crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdtv), with anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties, into mice were evaluated, and the ability of these venoms to induce expression of cyclooxygenases-1 (co ... | 2007 | 17241651 |
| long-lasting anti-inflammatory properties of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom in mice. | in the present study, we investigated the effects of crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdtv) on vascular and cellular events of inflammation induced by carrageenan (cg) in mice. to evaluate edema, cdtv (75 microg kg(-1)) was administered subcutaneously before (1h, 7 or 14 days) or after (1, 4 or 48 h) subplantar injection of cg (15 mg kg(-1)) into the mouse right hind paw; to analyze leukocyte influx, cg (200 microl) was injected i.p. in mice. the inhibitory action of cdtv on edema, either bef ... | 2007 | 17368497 |
| autophagy is involved in cytotoxic effects of crotoxin in human breast cancer cell line mcf-7 cells. | to investigate the role of crotoxin (crtx)-induced autophagy in the death of mcf-7 cells, a caspase-3-deficient, human breast cancer cell line. | 2007 | 17376294 |
| the co-purification of a lectin (bjcul) with phospholipases a2 from bothrops jararacussu snake venom by immunoaffinity chromatography with antibodies to crotoxin. | antigens of bothrops jararacussu snake venom cross-reacting with specific antibodies against crotoxin, an asp49 pla(2)-containing heterodimeric complex from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, were purified by two steps of immunoaffinity chromatography. the resulting fraction (bj-f) was shown to be non-toxic (to mice and rabbits) and immunogenic to rabbits. antibodies raised against bj-f were able to protect mice against the lethal effect of both b. jararacussu and crotalus durissus terrif ... | 2007 | 17391721 |
| neurotoxicological effects of a thrombin-like enzyme isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus venom (preliminary study). | a thrombin-like enzyme, purified from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus by gel filtration and affinity chromatography, showed a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (sds-page) with a molecular weight of about 33kda. clear cellular morphological changes, deep ganglioside level modifications in some brain areas and behavioral alterations in pup rats injected with this protein were detected. ganglioside composition, one of the chemical markers of ... | 2007 | 17467764 |
| individual venom variability in the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus cumanensis. | crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venoms from different venezuelan regions, showed biochemical and hemostatic variations. fibrino(geno)lytic, hemorrhagic and procoagulant activities and gel-filtration chromatography and sds-page profiles were analyzed. differences were observed in fibrinolytic activity: kallikrein-like amidolytic activity was highest in venoms of santa teresa, and margarita. lagunetica and carrizales venoms showed the maximum fibrin lysis. the highest hemorrhagic activity was s ... | 2007 | 17482229 |
| crotamine inhibits preferentially fast-twitching muscles but is inactive on sodium channels. | crotamine is a peptide toxin from the venom of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus that induces a typical hind-limb paralysis of unknown nature. hind limbs have a predominance of fast-twitching muscles that bear a higher density of sodium channels believed until now to be the primary target of crotamine. hypothetically, this makes these muscles more sensitive to crotamine and would explain such hind-limb paralysis. to challenge this hypothesis, we performed concentration vs. response cu ... | 2007 | 17588630 |
| alterations in the ultrastructure of cardiac autonomic nervous system triggered by crotoxin from rattlesnake (crotalus durissus cumanensis) venom. | this study explored the toxic effects of crotoxin isolated from crotalus durissus cumanensis venom on the ultrastructure of mice cardiac autonomic nervous system. mice were intravenously injected with saline (control group) and crotoxin diluted in saline venom (study group) at a dose of 0.107 mg/kg mouse body weight. samples from the inter-ventricular septum were prepared for electron microscopy after 6 h (g1), 12 h (g2), 24 h (g3) and 48 h (g4). the g1 group showed some cardiomyocyte with pleom ... | 2007 | 17616380 |
| comparative studies of the anti-leishmanial activity of three crotalus durissus ssp. venoms. | in this study, we compared the anti-leishmanial activity of three crotalic venoms (crotalus durissus terrificus-cdt, crotalus durissus cascavella-cdca, and crotalus durissus collilineatus-cdcol). different concentrations of each venom incubated with leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis promastigotes were used. cdt venom exhibited a higher anti-leishmanial activity (inhibitory concentration-ic50-value of 4.70+/-1.72 microg/ml) in comparison with that of cdca venom (ic50 value of 9.41+/-1.21 microg ... | 2007 | 17659386 |
| the use of zootherapeutics in folk veterinary medicine in the district of cubati, paraíba state, brazil. | the present work addresses the use of zootherapy in folk veterinary medicine (ethnoveterinary) by the residents of the municipal district of cubati, microregion of seridó, paraíba state, brazil. it sought to identify the principal animals used as medicinal sources for zootherapeutics and to contribute to the preservation and sustainability of this traditional knowledge. | 2007 | 17825094 |
| structural and biological characterization of two crotamine isoforms iv-2 and iv-3 isolated from the crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. | in this work, we isolated the two new crotamine isoforms from the crotalus durissus cumanensis rattlesnake venom and its "in vitro" neurotoxic, myotoxic and lethality (dl(50)) intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) effects were characterized. these proteins were named iv-2 and iv-3 and were purified by combination of two chromatographic steps on molecular exclusion chromatography on superdex 75 and reverse phase hplc (mu-bondapack c18). the molecular mass of the crotamine isoforms was 4905.96 da for i ... | 2007 | 17828447 |
| inhibitory effect of crotoxin on the pain-evoked discharge of neurons in thalamic parafascicular nucleus in rats. | crotoxin (cro), the principal neurotoxic component of crotalus durissus terrificus, has been previously reported to have a behavioral analgesic effect in rats and mice. the present study investigated electrophysiologically the effect of cro on pain-evoked unit discharge of neurons in thalamic parafascicular nucleus (pf) and underlying mechanisms of its effect. the electrical discharge of pf neurons was recorded with the microelectrode technique in rats. intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection ... | 2008 | 17915276 |
| ability of rabbit antiserum against crotapotin to neutralize the neurotoxic, myotoxic and phospholipase a2 activities of crotoxin from crotalus durissus cascavella snake venom. | the toxicity of crotoxin, the major toxin of crotalus durissus terrificus (south american rattlesnake) venom, is mediated by its basic phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)) subunit. this pla(2) is non-covalently associated with crotapotin, an acidic, enzymatically inactive subunit of the crotoxin complex. in this work, rabbit antiserum raised against crotapotin purified from crotalus durissus cascavella venom was tested for its ability to neutralize the neurotoxicity of this venom and its crotoxin in vitr ... | 2008 | 17920236 |
| the effect of phospholipase a2 from crotalus durissus collilineatus on leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis infection. | in this study, the effect of phospholipase a2 (pla2) derived from crotalus durissus collilineatus was evaluated in vitro and in vivo on experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis. the promastigote and amastigote forms treated with pla2 presented increased growth rate. in vivo studies showed that pla2-treated leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis promastigotes increased the size of lesions in balb/c mice, and histopathological analysis showed numerous necrotic regions presenting a higher density of polym ... | 2008 | 18180953 |
| phylogeny of snake trypanosomes inferred by ssu rdna sequences, their possible transmission by phlebotomines, and taxonomic appraisal by molecular, cross-infection and morphological analysis. | blood examination by microhaematocrit and haemoculture of 459 snakes belonging to 37 species revealed 2.4% trypanosome prevalence in species of viperidae (crotalus durissus and bothrops jararaca) and colubridae (pseudoboa nigra). trypanosome cultures from c. durissus and p. nigra were behaviourally and morphologically indistinguishable. in addition, the growth and morphological features of a trypanosome from the sand fly viannamyia tuberculata were similar to those of snake isolates. cross-infec ... | 2008 | 18371240 |
| crotoxin alters lymphocyte distribution in rats: involvement of adhesion molecules and lipoxygenase-derived mediators. | crotoxin is the main neurotoxic component of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and modulates immune and inflammatory responses, interfering with the activity of leukocytes. in the present work, the effects of crotoxin on the number of blood and lymphatic leukocytes and on lymph nodes and spleen lymphocytes population were investigated. the toxin s.c. administered to male wistar rats, decreases the number of lymphocytes in blood and lymph circulation and increases the content of b and t-ly ... | 2008 | 18452962 |
| the venom of south american rattlesnakes inhibits macrophage functions and is endowed with anti-inflammatory properties. | the injection of crotalus durissus terrificus venom into the foot pad of mice did not induce a significant inflammatory response as evaluated by oedema formation, increased vascular permeability and cell migration. the subcutaneous injection of the venom, or its addition to cell cultures, had an inhibitory effect on the spreading and phagocytosis of resident macrophages, without affecting the viability of the cells. this effect was not observed when the venom was added to cultures of thioglycoll ... | 1996 | 18475692 |
| crotalphine, a novel potent analgesic peptide from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. | we have shown that the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus induces a long-lasting antinociceptive effect mediated by activation of kappa- and delta-opioid receptors. despite being mediated by opioid receptors, prolonged treatment with the crotalid venom does not cause the development of peripheral tolerance or abstinence symptoms upon withdrawal. in the present study, we have isolated and chemically characterized a novel and potent antinociceptive peptide respons ... | 2008 | 18495297 |
| biological and biochemical characterization of new basic phospholipase a(2) bmtx-i isolated from bothrops moojeni snake venom. | bmtx-i, an asp49 phospholipase a(2), was purified from bothrops moojeni venom after only one chromatographic step using reverse-phase hplc on mu-bondapak c-18 column. a molecular mass of 14238.71da was determined by maldi-tof mass spectrometry. amino acid analysis showed a high content of hydrophobic and basic amino acids as well as 14 half-cysteine residues. the bmtx-i pla(2) had a sequence of 121 residues of amino acids: dlwqfnkmik kevgklpfpf ygaygcycgw ggrgekpkdg tdrccfvhdc cykkltgcpk wddrysy ... | 2008 | 18501940 |
| antineurotoxic activity of galactia glaucescens against crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | ethanolic extract of leaves of galactia glauscescens (gge) at concentration of 100 and 500 microg/ml prevented the neuromuscular paralysis induced by crotalus durissus terrificus venom on mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation. | 2008 | 18505705 |
| modulation of the pharmacological effects of enzymatically-active pla2 by btl-2, an isolectin isolated from the bryothamnion triquetrum red alga. | an interaction between lectins from marine algae and pla2 from rattlesnake was suggested some years ago. we, herein, studied the effects elicited by a small isolectin (btl-2), isolated from bryothamnion triquetrum, on the pharmacological and biological activities of a pla2 isolated from rattlesnake venom (crotalus durissus cascavella), to better understand the enzymatic and pharmacological mechanisms of the pla2 and its complex. | 2008 | 18534036 |
| anti-snake venom properties of schizolobium parahyba (caesalpinoideae) aqueous leaves extract. | many medicinal plants have been recommended for the treatment of snakebites. the aqueous extracts prepared from the leaves of schizolobium parahyba (a plant found in mata atlantica in southeastern brazil) were assayed for their ability to inhibit some enzymatic and biological activities induced by bothrops pauloensis and crotalus durissus terrificus venoms as well as by their isolated toxins neuwiedase (metalloproteinase), bnsp-7 (basic lys49 pla(2)) and cb (pla(2) from crotoxin complex). phosph ... | 2008 | 18567056 |
| radicicol improves regeneration of skeletal muscle previously damaged by crotoxin in mice. | this work investigates the influence of heat shock proteins (hsps) on necrosis and subsequent skeletal muscle regeneration induced by crotoxin (ctx), the major component of crotalus durissus terrificus venom. mice were treated with radicicol, a hsp inductor, followed by an intramuscular injection of ctx into the gastrocnemius muscle. treated groups were sacrificed 1, 10 and 21 days after ctx injection. muscle histological sections were stained with toluidine blue and assayed for acid phosphatase ... | 2008 | 18573269 |
| pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines release in mice injected with crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | the effects of crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdt) were analyzed with respect to the susceptibility and the inflammatory mediators in an experimental model of severe envenomation. balb/c female mice injected intraperitoneally presented sensibility to cdt, with changes in specific signs, blood biochemical and inflammatory mediators. the venom induced reduction of glucose and urea levels and an increment of creatinine levels in serum from mice. significant differences were observed in the tim ... | 2008 | 18604304 |
| secretory phospholipases a(2) isolated from bothrops asper and from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venoms induce distinct mechanisms for biosynthesis of prostaglandins e2 and d2 and expression of cyclooxygenases. | the effects of myotoxin iii (mt-iii), a phospholipase a(2) (spla2) from bothrops asper snake venom, and crotoxin b (cb), a neurotoxic and myotoxic spla2 from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus, on cyclooxygenases (coxs) expression and biosynthesis of prostaglandins (pgs) were evaluated, together with the mechanisms involved in these effects. upon intraperitoneal injection in mice, both spla(2)s promoted the synthesis of pgd2 and pge2, with a different time-course. mt-iii, but not cb, indu ... | 2008 | 18619987 |
| aminopeptidase activities, oxidative stress and renal function in crotalus durissus terrificus envenomation in mice. | acute renal failure is a serious condition of crotalus bites, which could be treated with statins. the effects of crotalus durissus terrificus venom (vcdt) and simvastatin on renal function, oxidative stress and representative plasma, urinary and renal aminopeptidase (ap) activities were evaluated in mice. eighty percent ld50 of vcdt caused hyperuricemia and urinary hypoosmolality (100%) and hypercreatinemia (60%). plasma neutral, pyroglutamyl and dipeptidyl iv and renal soluble and membrane-bou ... | 2008 | 18619992 |
| immunization with cdna of a novel p-iii type metalloproteinase from the rattlesnake crotalus durissus durissus elicits antibodies which neutralize 69% of the hemorrhage induced by the whole venom. | zinc-dependent metalloproteinases play a key role in the hemorrhage induced by viperid bite envenoming. in this work we report the cloning and sequencing of the cdna from a novel p-iii type metalloproteinase from crotalus durissus durissus venom glands. the recombinant plasmid was used for dna immunization in mice using accelerate dna-coated microparticles with the gene gun system. the results showed that there is no significant difference in the efficiency of the immunization in mice when gold ... | 2008 | 18621072 |
| cytotoxic effects of crotamine are mediated through lysosomal membrane permeabilization. | crotamine, one of the main toxic components of crotalus durissus terrificus venom, is a small non-enzymatic basic polypeptide, which causes hind limb paralysis and necrosis of muscle cells. it is well-known that several toxins penetrate into the cytosol through endocytosis, although in many cases the mechanism by which this occurs has not been fully investigated. recently, using low concentrations of crotamine, we demonstrated the uptake of this toxin into actively proliferative cells via endocy ... | 2008 | 18662711 |
| increase of the cytotoxic effect of bothrops jararacussu venom on mouse extensor digitorum longus and soleus by potassium channel blockers and by na(+)/k(+)-atpase inhibition. | we investigated the myotoxicity of bothrops jararacussu crude venom and other cytolytic agents on mouse isolated extensor digitorum longus (edl) and soleus (sol) muscles, which present distinct properties: edl is a fast-twitch, white muscle with predominantly glycolytic fibers, while sol is slow-twitch, red muscle with predominantly oxidative fibers. muscles were exposed to b. jararacussu crude venom (25 microg/ml) and other crotaline venoms (agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus; crotalus viridis ... | 2008 | 18675839 |
| intraspecies differences in hemostatic venom activities of the south american rattlesnakes, crotalus durissus cumanensis, as revealed by a range of protease inhibitors. | crotalus durissus cumanensis is an endemic rattlesnake found in venezuela and colombia. in this study, a comparative analysis of hemorrhagic, coagulation and fibrino(geno)lytic activities in the presence or absence of protease inhibitors was performed with venoms of the same species crotalus durissus cumanensis, from seven geographical regions of venezuela (lagunetica, santa teresa, carrizales, guarenas, anzoátegui, margarita and maracay). lagunetica, carrizales and anzoátegui venoms induced hem ... | 2008 | 18685436 |
| crotalphine induces potent antinociception in neuropathic pain by acting at peripheral opioid receptors. | neuropathic pain is an important clinical problem and it is usually resistant to the current therapy. we have recently characterized a novel 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 an experimental model of neuropathic pain induced in rats by chronic constriction of sciatic nerve. the effect of the peptide was compared to that induced by the crude ... | 2008 | 18703042 |
| the analgesic effect of crotoxin on neuropathic pain is mediated by central muscarinic receptors and 5-lipoxygenase-derived mediators. | crotoxin (ctx), a neurotoxin isolated from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, induces analgesia. in this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive effect of ctx in a model of neuropathic pain induced by rat sciatic nerve transection. hyperalgesia was detected 2 h after nerve transection and persisted for 64 days. immersion of proximal and distal nerve stumps in ctx solution (0.01 mm for 10 s), immediately after nerve transection, blocked hyperalgesia. the ant ... | 2008 | 18778727 |
| bothrops jararaca fibrinogen and its resistance to hydrolysis evoked by snake venoms. | fibrinogen is an essential protein involved in several steps of hemostasis, being associated with the final steps of the blood coagulation mechanism. herein, we describe the purification and characterization of a reptile fibrinogen, obtained from bothrops jararaca plasma. native b. jararaca fibrinogen showed a molecular mass of 372 kda, and the reduced and alkylated fibrinogen molecule showed three chains of 71, 60 and 55 kda, which are similar to the molecular masses of human and bovine aalpha, ... | 2008 | 18805500 |
| mitochondrial dysfunction induced by pancreatic and crotalic (crotalus durissus terrificus) phospholipases a2 on rabbit proximal tubules suspensions. | in the present study we show that phospholipases a2 isolated from porcine pancreas (pp-pla2) and crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom (sv-pla2) induced dose-dependent increases of ldh release from rabbit proximal tubules in suspension. both porcine and crotalic pla(2)s induced increases in non-esterified fatty acid (nefa) levels (microg of nefa/mg of tubule protein). it was observed that the nefa levels in the pellets were higher than in the supernatant for both pla2, and were dose-dependent ... | 2008 | 18835290 |
| renal and vascular effects of the natriuretic peptide isolated from crotalus durissus cascavella venom. | crotalus durissus cascavella is a snake that is usually found in the scrublands of northeast brazil. the components of its venom may have effects on the vascular and renal systems. recently, a new bradykinin inhibitory peptide has been identified in the venom of the crotalinae family. the aim of the present study was to investigate the renal and vascular effects of the natriuretic peptide isolated from the venom of crotalus durissus cascavella (np2_casca). the chromatographic profile showed the ... | 2008 | 18835291 |
| neutralization of venom-induced hemorrhage by equine antibodies raised by immunization with a plasmid encoding a novel p-ii metalloproteinase from the lancehead pitviper bothrops asper. | in this work, the cdna encoding a novel p-ii type metalloproteinase from bothrops asper venom glands was cloned, sequenced and used for dna immunization of animals with accelerated dna-coated tungsten microparticles and the helius gene gun system. specific antibodies against b. asper venom antigens were induced in mice co-immunized with the plasmid encoding the p-ii metalloproteinase together with an expression plasmid encoding the murine il-2. similarly, specific antibodies against b. asper ven ... | 2009 | 19013207 |
| enzymatic and structural characterization of new pla2 isoform isolated from white venom of crotalus durissus ruruima. | this work reports the structural and enzymatic characterization of a new spla2 from the white venom of crotalus durissus ruruima, nominated pla2a. the homogeneity of the pla2a fraction and its molecular mass were initially evaluated by sds-page and confirmed by maldi-tof spectrometry, indicating a molecular mass of 14,299.34da. structural investigation, through circular dichroism spectroscopy, revealed that pla2a has a high content of alpha helix and beta-turn structures, 45.7% and 35.6% respect ... | 2009 | 19013478 |
| antigenic, microbicidal and antiparasitic properties of an l-amino acid oxidase isolated from bothrops jararaca snake venom. | venoms from the bee apis mellifera, the caterpillar lonomia achelous, the spiders lycosa sp. and phoneutria nigriventer, the scorpions tityus bahiensis and tityus serrulatus, and the snakes bothrops alternatus, bothrops jararaca, bothrops jararacussu, bothrops moojeni, bothrops neuwiedi, crotalus durissus terrificus, and lachesis muta were assayed (800mug/ml) for activity against staphylococcus aureus. venoms from b. jararaca and b. jararacussu showed the highest s. aureus growth inhibition and ... | 2009 | 19101583 |
| functional and structural analysis of two fibrinogen-activating enzymes isolated from the venoms of crotalus durissus terrificus and crotalus durissus collilineatus. | fibrinogen-activating enzymes, widely distributed in crotalidae and viperidae venoms, are single-chain glycosylated serine proteases that display high macromolecular selectivity and are often referred to as thrombin-like enzymes (tles). tles serve as structural models to extend our understanding of the structure-function relationships of blood coagulation factors, have been clinically used for the treatment of thrombotic diseases, and are used as tools in clinical assays. the combination of gel ... | 2009 | 19129947 |
| inhibition of snake venoms and phospholipases a(2) by extracts from native and genetically modified eclipta alba: isolation of active coumestans. | we genetically modified eclipta alba using agrobacterium rhizogenes lba 9402, with the aim of producing secondary metabolites with pharmacological properties against phospholipase a(2) and the myotoxic activities of snake venom. extracts from in natura aerial parts and roots, both native and genetically modified (in vitro), were prepared and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. in natura materials showed the coumestan wedelolactone at higher concentration in the aerial parts, whil ... | 2009 | 19320636 |
| cloning of serine protease cdnas from crotalus durissus terrificus venom gland and expression of a functional gyroxin homologue in cos-7 cells. | gyroxin is one of main serine proteases of crotalus durissus terrificus venom, representing about 2% of the protein content in the crude venom. it is a 33 kda glycoprotein with 3.8% by weight of sugar moiety. this toxin induces hemotoxicity in mice and a neurological condition called barrel rotation syndrome. in the present work, we report the molecular cloning of five new nucleotide sequences from a cdna library of the venom glands of a single specimen of c. d. terrificus. these sequences have ... | 2009 | 19341755 |
| semen collection and evaluation in free-ranging brazilian rattlesnakes (crotalus durissus terrificus). | two hundred-ninety species of reptiles are estimated to need urgent action for conservation, with at least 113 threatened species worldwide. the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources (iucn) red list of threatened species includes 80 species of snakes, with six native brazilian species, a number likely to be an underestimation. some authors believe that assisted reproduction would be an important tool to improve reproduction in captivity of some reptiles. an efficie ... | 2007 | 19360568 |
| effect of umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin, 7-hoc) on the enzymatic, edematogenic and necrotic activities of secretory phospholipase a2 (spla2) isolated from crotalus durissus collilineatus venom. | flavonoids, coumarins and other polyphenolic compounds are powerful antioxidants both in hydrophilic and lipophylic environments with diverse pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory activity. despite being widely used as powerful therapeutic agents for blood coagulation disorders, more specifically to control some serine protease enzymes, the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of coumarins is unknown, unlike that of flavonoids. although their controlling effect on serine prot ... | 2009 | 19470355 |
| expression of human recombinant antibody fragments capable of partially inhibiting the phospholypase activity of crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | crotoxin is the main toxic component of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus venom. it is composed of two different subunits: ca, crotapotin, and cb (basic subunit of cortoxin isolated from c. d. terrificus), a weakly toxic phospholipase a(2) with high enzymatic activity. the phospholipases a(2) are abundant in snake venoms and are responsible for disruption of cell membrane integrity via hydrolysis of its phospholipids. however, in addition to their normal digestive actio ... | 2009 | 19486333 |
| intraspecific variation of the crotamine and crotasin genes in crotalus durissus rattlesnakes. | crotamine is a small basic myotoxin peptide of crotalus durissus venom, with beta-defensin scafold and variable concentration in individual venoms. the crotamine gene was mapped to the end of chromosome 2 and the signal intensity differed significantly between the two homologues. in contrast to crotamine, the paralogous crotasin gene is scarcely expressed in the venom glands. in this study, we analyzed the crotamine concentrations in the venoms of a total of 23 rattlesnakes from diverse brazilia ... | 2009 | 19523505 |
| neutralization of bothrops mattogrossensis snake venom from bolivia: experimental evaluation of llama and donkey antivenoms produced by caprylic acid precipitation. | polyspecific bothropic/crotalic and bothropic/lachesic antivenoms were produced in bolivia by immunizing two donkeys with the venoms of bothrops mattogrossensis and crotalus durissus terrificus and one llama with the venoms of b. mattogrossensis and lachesis muta. these antivenoms are currently being used for snakebite envenomation in bolivia. the rationale for using these animals is that donkeys and llamas are better adapted than horses to the high altitudes in south america and constitute good ... | 2010 | 19647761 |
| biochemical and biological characterization of a pla2 from crotoxin complex of crotalus durissus cumanensis. | a new pla2 (cdcum6) from crotoxin complex of colombian crotalus durissus cumanensis rattlesnake was purified using molecular exclusion chromatography and rp-hplc. the molecular mass of cdcum6 was determined by sds-page approximately 14 kda and confirmed by maldi-tof (14321.98 da). the enzyme showed km 6.0 mm, vmax 3.44 nmol/min, optimum ph was 8.0 and temperature was between 30 and 45 degrees c, and it had a strict requirement of ca2+ for its activity. the n-terminal sequence of pla2 was slvqf e ... | 2009 | 19673100 |
| identification of continuous interaction sites in pla(2)-based protein complexes by peptide arrays. | crotoxin (ca.cb) is a beta-neurotoxin from crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom that is responsible for main envenomation effects upon biting by this snake. it is a heterodimer of an acidic protein (ca) devoid of any biological activity per se and a basic, enzymatically active, pla(2) counterpart (cb). both lethal and enzymatic activities of crotoxin have been shown to be inhibited by cnf, a protein from the blood of c. d. terrificus snakes. cnf replaces ca in the ca.cb complex, forming a st ... | 2009 | 19733616 |
| biological and biochemical characterization of two new pla2 isoforms cdc-9 and cdc-10 from crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venom. | this work reports the purification, biological characterization and amino acid sequence of two new basic pla(2) isoforms, cdc-9 and cdc-10, purified from the crotalus durissus cumanensis venom by one step analytical chromatography reverse phase hplc. the molecular masses of the pla(2) were 14,175+/-2.7 da for cdc-9 and 14,228+/-3.5 da for cdc-10 both deduced by primary structure and confirmed by maldi-tof. the isoforms presented an amino acid sequence of 122 amino acid residues, being cdc-9: slv ... | 2010 | 19747981 |
| snake venomics of the central american rattlesnake crotalus simus and the south american crotalus durissus complex points to neurotoxicity as an adaptive paedomorphic trend along crotalus dispersal in south america. | we report a comparative venomic and antivenomic characterization of the venoms of newborn and adult specimens of the central american rattlesnake, crotalus simus, and of the subspecies cumanensis, durissus, ruruima, and terrificus of south american crotalus durissus. neonate and adult c. simus share about 50% of their venom proteome. the venom proteome of 6-week-old c. simus is predominantly made of the neurotoxic heterodimeric phospholipase a(2) (pla(2) crotoxin) (55.9%) and serine proteinases ... | 2010 | 19863078 |
| phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit rrna and glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase genes and ultrastructural characterization of two snake trypanosomes: trypanosoma serpentis n. sp. from pseudoboa nigra and trypanosoma cascavelli from crotalus durissus terrificus. | we sequenced the small subunit (ssu) rrna and glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (ggapdh) genes of two trypanosomes isolated from the brazilian snakes pseudoboa nigra and crotalus durissus terrificus. trypanosomes were cultured and their morphometrical and ultrastructural features were characterized by light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. phylogenetic trees inferred using independent or combined ssu rrna and ggapdh data sets always clustered the sn ... | 2009 | 19883449 |
| crotoxin is responsible for the long-lasting anti-inflammatory effect of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom: involvement of formyl peptide receptors. | in the present study, it was investigated which components are responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdtv). the effect of crotoxin, as well as of other cdtv components was evaluated on edema, cell migration and alterations in leukocyte-endothelium interactions induced by carrageenan. crotoxin (40 microg kg(-1)) was injected at different time periods before or after the injection of carrageenan (15 mg kg(-1)) into the mouse hind paw, peritoneum or ... | 2010 | 20034508 |
| effect of mikania glomerata (asteraceae) leaf extract combined with anti-venom serum on experimental crotalus durissus (squamata: viperidae) envenomation in rats. | crotalic envenomation represents the highest number of deaths when compared to other snakebite envenomations of medical interest. crotalic venom has important characteristics such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and clotting and hemolytic action. we evaluated the clinical and laboratory aspects of crotalus durissus terrificus experimental envenomation in wistar rats treated with antivenom and the aqueous extract of the plant mikania glomerata. the animals were divided into three g ... | 2009 | 20073325 |
| crotoxin potentiates l-type calcium currents and modulates the action potential of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. | crotoxin (ctx), the major component of the venom from the south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) has diverse toxic effects, including pre-synaptic neurotoxicity. among these, the effect of ctx in the heart is the least understood. in this study, we explored the effect(s) of ctx on the electrophysiological activity of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (nrcm). by using patch, voltage-, and current-clamping techniques, we found that, in nrcm, ctx strongly potentiates l-type ca2+ curren ... | 2010 | 20122949 |
| a new fibrin sealant from crotalus durissus terrificus venom: applications in medicine. | fibrin sealant, a widely available tissue adhesive, has been used since 1940 in a variety of clinical applications. commercially available fibrin sealant products are synthesized from bovine thrombin and human fibrinogen, which may transmit infectious diseases, and recipients may also develop antibodies against bovine thrombin. bearing these disadvantages in mind, a new fibrin sealant was developed in 1989 by a group of researchers from the center for the study of venoms and venomous animals, in ... | 2009 | 20183534 |
| structural and pharmacological characterization of the crotamine isoforms iii-4 (myx4_crocu) and iii-7 (myx7_crocu) isolated from the crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. | two major crotamine isoforms (iii-4 and iii-7) were obtained combining two chromatographic steps on molecular exclusion chromatography (sephadex g-75) and ion-exchange column (protein pack sp 5pw) of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. the "in vivo" myotoxic effect of the venom, its "in vitro" cytotoxicity in myoblasts and myotubes (c2c12) and the neurotoxic and edema-forming activity were characterized. the molecular masses of the crotamine isoforms were 4907.94 da (iii-4) and 4 ... | 2010 | 20206199 |
| effect of the synthetic coumarin, ethyl 2-oxo-2h-chromene-3-carboxylate, on activity of crotalus durissus ruruima spla2 as well as on edema and platelet aggregation induced by this factor. | we show that ethyl 2-oxo-2h-chromene-3-carboxylate (eocc), a synthetic coumarin, irreversibly inhibits phospholipase a(2) (spla2) from crotalus durissus ruruima venom (spla2r) with an ic(50) of 3.1 +/- 0.06 nmol. eocc strongly decreased the v(max) and k(m), and it virtually abolished the enzyme activity of spla2r as well as spla2s from other sources. the edema induced by spla2r + eocc was less than that induced by spla2r treated with p-bromophenacyl bromide, which was more efficient at neutraliz ... | 2010 | 20223257 |
| lipoic acid effects on renal function, aminopeptidase activities and oxidative stress in crotalus durissus terrificus envenomation in mice. | crotalus durissus terrificus envenomation has been associated with direct nephrotoxicity, rhabdomyolysis, hyperuricemia, urinary hypoosmolality, alterations in aminopeptidase activities (ap) and oxidative stress. this study evaluated the effects of lipoic acid (la) on renal function, lethality, ap and gssg/gsh in mice injected with c. d. terrificus venom (vcdt). the doses and routes of administration of la and vcdt promoted no systemic myotoxicity. la did not alter significantly the lethality of ... | 2010 | 20398689 |
| cdna and deduced primary structure of basic phospholipase a2 with neurotoxic activity from the venom secretion of the crotalus durissus collilineatus rattlesnake. | to illustrate the construction of precursor complementary dnas, we isolated mrnas from whole venom samples. after reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr), we amplified the cdna coding for a neurotoxic protein, phospholipase a2 d49 (pla2 d49), from the venom of crotalus durissus collilineatus (cdc pla2). the cdna encoding cdc pla2 from whole venom was sequenced. the deduced amino acid sequence of this cdna has high overall sequence identity with the group ii pla2 protein family. ... | 2010 | 20401434 |
| snake venomics and antivenomics of crotalus durissus subspecies from brazil: assessment of geographic variation and its implication on snakebite management. | we report the comparative proteomic and antivenomic characterization of the venoms of subspecies cascavella and collilineatus of the brazilian tropical rattlesnake crotalus durissus. the venom proteomes of c. d. collilineatus and c. d. cascavella comprise proteins in the range of 4-115 kda belonging to 9 and 8 toxin families, respectively. collilineatus and cascavella venoms contain 20-25 main toxins belonging to the following protein families: disintegrin, pla(2), serine proteinase, cysteine-ri ... | 2010 | 20542151 |
| new nanostructured silica adjuvant (sba-15) employed to produce antivenom in young sheep using crotalus durissus terrificus and apis mellifera venoms detoxified by cobalt-60. | equine antivenom is considered the only treatment for animal-generated envenomations, but it is costly. the study aimed to produce apis mellifera (africanized honeybee) and crotalus durissus terrificus (c.d.t.) antivenoms using nanostructured silica (sba-15) as adjuvant and cobalt-60 ((60)co)-detoxified venoms utilizing young sheep. natural and (60)co-irradiated venoms were employed in four different hyperimmunization protocols. thus, 8 groups of 60- to 90-d-old sheep were hyperimmunized, enzyme ... | 2010 | 20563926 |
| gyroxin increases blood-brain barrier permeability to evans blue dye in mice. | gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme component of the south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) venom. this toxin displays several activities, including the induction of blood coagulation (fibrinogenolytic activity), vasodilation and neurotoxicity, resulting in an effect called barrel rotation. the mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not well known. because gyroxin is a member of a potentially therapeutic family of enzymes, including thrombin, ancrod, batroxobin, t ... | 2011 | 20637222 |
| k+(atp) channels-independent analgesic action of crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. | the effect was investigated of the k+ channel blocker, glibenclamide, on the ability of crotalus durissus cumanensis venom (cdcm) to promote peripheral antinociception. this was measured by formalin-induced nociception in male swiss mice. cdcm (200 and 300 microg/kg) produced an antinociceptive effect during phase 2 in the formalin test. the effect of cdcm (200 microg/kg) was unaffected by the atp-sensitive k+ channel blocker glibenclamide (2 mg/kg). these results suggest that cdcm is effective ... | 2010 | 20734950 |
| in vitro antiophidian properties of dipteryx alata vogel bark extracts. | extracts from dipteryx alata bark obtained with different solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) were mixed in vitro with bothrops jararacussu (bjssu, 40 μg/ml) and crotalus durissus terrificus (cdt, 15 μg/ml) snake venoms, and applied to a mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation to evaluate the possible neutralization of venom effects. cdt venom neurotoxic effect was not inhibited by any of the extracts, while the neurotoxic and myotoxic actions of bjssu venom were dec ... | 2010 | 20877202 |
| quercetin as an inhibitor of snake venom secretory phospholipase a2. | as polyphenolic compounds isolated from plants extracts, flavonoids have been applied to various pharmaceutical uses in recent decades due to their anti-inflammatory, cancer preventive, and cardiovascular protective activities. in this study, we evaluated the effects of the flavonoid quercetin on crotalus durissus terrificus secretory phospholipase a2 (spla2), an important protein involved in the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipid membranes. the protein was chemically modified by trea ... | 2010 | 21056032 |
| effects of low molecular weight sulfated galactan fragments from botryocladia occidentalis on the pharmacological and enzymatic activity of spla2 from crotalus durissus cascavella. | low molecular weight fragments of sulfated galactans (boc-5 and boc-10) from the red algae botryocladia occidentalis significantly inhibited crotalus durissus cascavella spla2 enzymatic activity. equimolar ratios of spla2 to boc-5 or boc-10 resulted in allosteric inhibition of spla2. under the conditions tested, we observed that both boc-5 and boc-10 strongly decreased edema, myonecrosis, and neurotoxicity induced by native spla2. | 2010 | 21061146 |
| comparison of the effect of crotalus simus and crotalus durissus ruruima venoms on the equine antibody response towards bothrops asper venom: implications for the production of polyspecific snake antivenoms. | antivenoms are preparations of immunoglobulins purified from the plasma of animals immunized with snake venoms. depending on the number of venoms used during the immunization, antivenoms can be monospecific (if venom from a single species is used) or polyspecific (if venoms from several species are used). in turn, polyspecific antivenoms can be prepared by purifying antibodies from the plasma of animals immunized with a mixture of venoms, or by mixing antibodies purified from the plasma of anima ... | 2010 | 21130107 |
| immunomodulatory effects of crotoxin isolated from crotalus durissus terrificus venom in mice immunised with human serum albumin. | crotalus durissus terrificus venom and its main component, crotoxin (ctx), have the ability to down-modulate the immune system. certain mechanisms mediated by cells and soluble factors of the immune system are responsible for the elimination of pathogenic molecules to ensure the specific protection against subsequent antigen contact. accordingly, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of ctx on the immune response of mice that had been previously primed by immunisation with human serum albumi ... | 2011 | 21223974 |
| modulation of the pharmacological activities of secretory phospholipase a2 from crotalus durissus cascavella induced by naringin. | in this work we have characterized the action of the naringin, a flavonoid found in grapefruit and known for its various pharmacological effects, which include antioxidant blood lipid lowering and anticancer activity, on the structure and biochemical activities of a secretory phospholipase a (spla2) from crotalus durissus cascavella, an important protein involved in the releasinge of arachidonic acid in phospholipid membranes. spla2 was incubated with naringin (mol:mol) at 37 °c and a discrete r ... | 2011 | 21245808 |
| in vitro antibacterial and hemolytic activities of crotamine, a small basic myotoxin from rattlesnake crotalus durissus. | crotamine, a myotoxin from the venom of south american rattlesnake, is structurally related to +¦-defensins, antimicrobial peptides (amps) found in vertebrate animals. here, we tested the antibacterial properties of crotamine and found that it killed several strains of escherichia coli, with the mics ranging from 25 to 100 ++g mlôü+-¦. time-kill and bacterial membrane permeabilization assays revealed that killing of bacteria by crotamine occurred within 1 h and reached the maximum by 2 h. additi ... | 2011 | 21386851 |
| the inhibitory effect of camellia sinensis extracts against the neuromuscular blockade of crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | in geographically isolated populations where intensive medical care or serum therapy is not easily accessible snake envenomation is a major cause for concern. the aim of the present study was to test camellia sinensis extracts, theaflavin and epigallocatechin (two of the main c. sinensis components) against the irreversible neuromuscular blockade induced by crotalus durissus terrificus venom in mouse phrenic-nerve diaphragm preparations. a quantitative histological study was also performed. the ... | 2010 | 21544176 |
| evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of derivatives from aerial parts of baccharis uncinella. | context: species of baccharis exhibit antibiotic, antiseptic, and wound-healing properties, and have been used in the traditional medicine of south america for the treatment of inflammation, headaches, diabetes, and hepatobiliary disorders. objective: to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of organic phases from etoh extract of the aerial parts of baccharis uncinella dc (asteraceae). materials and methods: the crude etoh extract from the aerial parts of b. uncinella was subjected to parti ... | 2011 | 21554002 |
| abdominal hyperalgesia in secretory phospholipase a(2)-induced rat pancreatitis: distinct roles of nk(1) receptors. | we investigated the potential of secretory phospholipase a(2) (spla(2))-induced pancreatitis to promote abdominal hyperalgesia, as well as to depolarize sensory fibres in vitro using a grease-gap technique. pancreatitis was induced by the injection of spla(2) from crotalus durissus terrificus (spla(2)cdt, 300μgkg(-1)) venom into the common bile duct of rats. pancreatic inflammatory signs, serum amylase levels and abdominal hyperalgesia were evaluated in rats treated or not with sr140333, a tachy ... | 2011 | 21565534 |
| effects of the crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom on hepatic metabolism and oxidative stress. | snake venoms present different action mechanisms because of their complex composition, represented mainly by toxins and enzymes. this work aimed to investigate the effects of the crotalus durissus terrificus(cdt) venom in the liver. wistar rats were inoculated intraperitoneally with saline (control) or cdt venom. after 3, 4, or 6 h, the following parameters were analyzed: (a) hepatic function, (b) oxidative stress parameters, and (c) the metabolism of alanine in the isolated perfused liver. plas ... | 2011 | 21671311 |
| evaluation of the genotoxicity of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and its isolated toxins on human lymphocytes. | in the present study, experiments were carried out to evaluate the mutagenic potential and genotoxic effects of crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and its isolated toxins on human lymphocytes, using the micronucleus and comet assays. significant damage to dna was observed for crotoxin and crotapotin (ca). basic phospholipase a(2) (cb) and crotamine did not present any mutagenic potential when evaluated by the micronucleus test. c. d. terrificus crude venom was able to induce the formation ... | 2011 | 21723956 |
| hypotensive effects of the crotalus durissus cascavella venom: involvement of no. | crotalus durissus cascavella is a snake native of northeastern brazil. the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of c. d. cascavella venom on rat mean arterial pressure and vascular reactivity in the mesenteric vascular bed. the venom evoked a dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure, cardiac and respiratory frequency with increased plasma nitrite levels. l-name (10 mg/kg) blunted both the hypotension and increased nitrite production observed after the venom administration. to ... | 2011 | 21815429 |
| anti-snake venom activities of extracts and fractions from callus cultures of sapindus saponaria. | context: sapindus saponaria l. (sapindaceae) bark, root, and fruits are used as sedatives and to treat gastric ulcer and also demonstrate diuretic and expectorant effects. objective: the anti-snake venom properties of callus of s. saponaria are investigated here for the first time. materials and methods: in vitro cultivated callus of sapindus saponaria were lyophilized, and the extracts were prepared with different solvents, before submitting to phytochemical studies and evaluation of the an ... | 2011 | 22133075 |
| the natural cell-penetrating peptide crotamine targets tumor tissue in vivo and triggers a lethal calcium-dependent pathway in cultured cells. | our goal was to demonstrate the in vivo tumor specific accumulation of crotamine, a natural peptide from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, which has been characterized by our group as a cell penetrating peptide with a high specificity for actively proliferating cells and with a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect. crotamine cytotoxicity has been shown to be dependent on the disruption of lysosomes and subsequent activation of intracellular proteases. ... | 2011 | 22142367 |
| allopurinol reduces the lethality associated with acute renal failure induced by crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom: comparison with probenecid. | acute renal failure is one of the most serious complications of envenoming resulting from crotalus durissus terrificus bites. this study evaluated the relevance of hyperuricemia and oxidative stress and the effects of allopurinol and probenecid in renal dysfunction caused by direct nephrotoxicity of c. d. terrificus venom. | 2011 | 21909449 |
| the peripheral l-arginine-nitric oxide-cyclic gmp pathway and atp-sensitive k+ channels are involved in the antinociceptive effect of crotalphine on neuropathic pain in rats. | crotalphine, a 14 amino acid peptide first isolated from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus, induces a peripheral long-lasting and opioid receptor-mediated antinociceptive effect in a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve. in the present study, we further characterized the molecular mechanisms involved in this effect, determining the type of opioid receptor responsible for this effect and the involvement of the ni ... | 2011 | 22126967 |
| anti-tumor activity of crtx in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line a549. | to assess the cytotoxic effect of crotoxin (crtx), a potent neurotoxin extracted from the venom of the pit viper crotalus durissus terrificus, in human lung adenocarcinoma a549 cells and investigated the underlying mechanisms. | 2011 | 21946324 |
| inflammatory mediators release in urine from mice injected with crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | in this study, we investigated in groups of female balb/c mice injected with crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdt) the renal function based on creatinine clearance, percentage of fractional excretion cytokines and histological examination of renal tissue. cdt caused renal alterations that induced proteinuria during the initial hours post-venom and reduced creatinine clearance 15 min. up to 2 hours post-venom administration. in urine from mice injected with cdt induced a decrease in il-4 level ... | 2011 | 22174490 |