| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| gyroxin, a toxin from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus, is a thrombin-like enzyme. | we report a simple method for the isolation of gyroxin, a protein from the venom of the south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. the intravenous injection of gyroxin into mice produces temporary episodes characterized by opisthotonos and rotations around the long axis of the animal. we found gyroxin to be a glycoprotein with thrombin-like and esterase activities. gyroxin loses its ability to produce the gyroxin syndrome, its thrombin-like activity and its esterase activity with h ... | 2011 | 3059581 |
| toxoid preparation from the venom of crotalus durissus cumanensis (south american rattle snake). | a new technique is described for the preparation of crotalus venom toxoid. this method preserves the immunogenicity but eliminates the toxic effects. all the animals vaccinated with crotalus venom toxoid survived when they were injected with raw venom. | 2013 | 3820358 |
| immunization of equines with phospholipase a2 protects against the lethal effects of crotalus durissus terrificus venom. | equines (2 horses and 2 donkeys) immunized with whole crotalus durissus terrificus venom or its phospholipase a2 component either presented an increased survival time determined 3 days after challenge or were totally resistant to a challenging lethal dose of 200 mg crude venom 270 days after the initial immunization or 90 days after the last booster injection. the resistance was demonstrable on the basis of a good correlation with antibody titers determined by the elisa method but not with the f ... | 2008 | 2590734 |
| effect of chlorpromazine and quinacrine on the lethality in mice of the venoms and neurotoxins from several snakes. | antivenoms are the currently available agents for the treatment of intoxication by snake venoms. therapeutic approaches using more generally available drugs could improve treatment of envenomation by reducing the cost of the therapeutic agent, eliminating hypersensitivity reactions to antivenoms, and reducing storage costs. i investigated the efficacies of chlorpromazine and quinacrine with respect to reducing the lethality in mice of bungarus caeruleus venom, bungarus multicinctus venom and its ... | 2009 | 2749762 |
| myonecrosis, myoglobinuria and acute renal failure induced by south american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus terrificus) envenomation in brazil. | the venom of the brazilian rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus is know to have hemolytic and neurotoxic physiopathological activities which may cause acute renal failure with hemoglobinuria and/or methemoglobinuria. as far as we know, no report has been published on the ability of the venom of this rattlesnake species to cause rhabdomyolysis. in the present paper we demonstrate that the venom of brazilian snakes of the genus crotalus can induce systemic myonecrosis. clinical, laboratory and ... | 2013 | 4060176 |
| edema-forming activity of bushmaster (lachesis muta stenophrys) and central american rattlesnake (crotalus durissus durissus) venoms and neutralization by a polyvalent antivenom. | the edema effect induced in mice by venoms of crotalus durissus durissus and lachesis muta stenophrys was studied. minimum edema-forming doses were 11 and 5 micrograms, respectively. edema developed very rapidly after injections of both venoms and reached a maximum at 6 hr. neutralizing activity was tested by preincubation of the venoms with polyvalent antivenom. the edema induced by the venom of l. m. stenophrys was partially neutralized, whereas that induced by the venom of c. d. durissus was ... | 2014 | 3992598 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| antiplasmodial effect of the venom of crotalus durissus cumanensis, crotoxin complex and crotoxin b. | the antiplasmodial activity of phospholipases a(2) (pla(2)) isolated from different animals has been studied. we explored the in vitro anti plasmodium falciparum effect of a fraction containing crotoxin, crotoxin b and whole venom of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus cumanensis. fraction ii (crotoxin complex) was obtained by size exclusion chromatography, whereas crotoxin b was purified by rp-hplc. the whole venom is active against the parasite at concentrations of 0.17±0.03 μg/ml, fraction ii a ... | 2012 | 22884508 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| microbiological evaluation of different strategies for management of snakes in captivity. | keeping snakes in captivity to produce venom for scientific research and production of inputs is now a worldwide practice. maintaining snakes in captivity involves capture, infrastructure investments, management techniques, and appropriate qualified personnel. further, the success of the project requires knowledge of habitat, nutrition, and reproduction, and control of opportunistic infections. this study evaluated the management of snakes in three types of captivity (quarantine, intensive, and ... | 2012 | 22852856 |
| minimal volume regulation after shrinkage of red blood cells from five species of reptiles. | red blood cells (rbcs) from most vertebrates restore volume upon hypertonic shrinkage and the mechanisms underlying this regulatory volume increase (rvi) have been studied extensively in these cells. despite the phylogenetically interesting position of reptiles, very little is known about their red cell function. the present study demonstrates that oxygenated rbcs in all major groups of reptiles exhibit no or a very reduced rvi upon approximately 25% calculated hyperosmotic shrinkage. thus, rbcs ... | 2008 | 18424207 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| snake inhibitors of phospholipase a(2) enzymes. | phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)) enzymes consist of a large family of proteins which share the same enzymatic function and display considerable sequence homology. these enzymes have been identified and characterised in mammalian tissue and snake venoms. numerous physiological functions have been attributed to mammalian pla(2)s and they are nontoxic. in comparison, venom pla(2)s are toxic and induce a variety of pharmacological effects that are probably mediated via membrane receptors. snake pla(2) in ... | 2001 | 11514233 |
| interaction of the neurotoxic and nontoxic secretory phospholipases a2 with the crotoxin inhibitor from crotalus serum. | crotalus durissus terrificus snakes possess a protein in their blood, named crotoxin inhibitor from crotalus serum (cics), which protects them against crotoxin, the main toxin of their venom. cics neutralizes the lethal potency of crotoxin and inhibits its phospholipase a2 (pla2) activity. the aim of the present study is to investigate the specificity of cics towards snake venom neurotoxic pla2s (beta-neurotoxins) and nontoxic mammalian pla2s. this investigation shows that cics does not affect t ... | 2000 | 10903514 |
| elisa for the detection of toxic antigens in experimental and clinical envenoming by tityus serrulatus scorpion venom. | an elisa was developed for identification of circulating toxic antigens from tityus serrulatus scorpion venom. the toxic fraction from the scorpion venom was purified by sephadex g-50 chromatography and immunoaffinity techniques were used for identifying antibodies that reacted with this fraction. these antibodies were used to develop a sandwich-type elisa. the specificity of the assay was demonstrated by its capacity for identifying mice that were experimentally inoculated with t. serrulatus ve ... | 1994 | 7725332 |
| determination of sphingomyelinase-d activity of loxosceles venoms in sphingomyelin/cholesterol liposomes containing horseradish peroxidase. | based on degradation of sphingomyelin/cholesterol liposomes containing entrapped horseradish peroxidase, we evaluated the sphingomyelinase-d (smase-d) activity of scorpion, spider and snake venoms by monitoring spectrophotometrically the product of oxidation of hrp released. the results indicate that loxosceles crude venoms (loxosceles intermedia, loxosceles laeta, loxosceles gaucho and loxosceles similis) displayed smase-d activity in a concentration-dependent manner. furthermore, this activity ... | 2011 | 21236288 |
| crotalus durissus terrificus venom interferes with morphological, functional, and biochemical changes in murine macrophage. | crotalus durissus terrificus venom (cdt) is toxic for a variety of eukaryotic cells, especially at high concentrations. however its effects on host immune cells are not well known. the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cdt on functional status and the mediators production in peritoneal macrophages. the effects of cdt were analyzed in vitro and were detected using functional status of macrophages as determined by the h(2)o(2) release, spreading percentage, phagocytic index, vac ... | 2005 | 16489255 |
| fluorometric assay using naphthylamide substrates for assessing novel venom peptidase activities. | in the present study we examined the feasibility of using the fluorometry of naphthylamine derivatives for revealing peptidase activities in venoms of the snakes bothrops jararaca, bothrops alternatus, bothrops atrox, bothrops moojeni, bothrops insularis, crotalus durissus terrificus and bitis arietans, of the scorpions tityus serrulatus and tityus bahiensis, and of the spiders phoneutria nigriventer and loxosceles intermedia. neutral aminopeptidase (apn) and prolyl-dipeptidyl aminopeptidase iv ... | 2002 | 12419513 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| prospection, structural analysis and phylogenetic relationships of endogenous gamma-phospholipase a(2) inhibitors in brazilian bothrops snakes (viperidae, crotalinae). | during the last 20 years, there have been an increasing number of reports on endogenous phospholipase a(2) inhibitors (plis) in the sera of snakes. these studies have demonstrated the existence of three different structural classes of plis (alpha, beta and gamma). the gamma class members are potent inhibitors of phospholipases a(2) (pla(2)) from the venom of viperidae snakes. these enzymes, together with the mammalian pro-inflammatory pla(2), belong to the iia class of the pla(2)-superfamily. al ... | 2008 | 18620721 |
| peptide fingerprinting of snake venoms by direct infusion nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: potential use in venom identification and taxonomy. | fingerprinting by mass spectrometry has been increasingly used to study venom variations and for taxonomic analyses based on venom components. most of these studies have concentrated on components heavier than 3 kda, but bothrops snake venoms contain many biologically active peptides, principally c-type natriuretic peptides and bradykinin-potentiating peptides (bpps). in this work, we have examined the peptide profile of bothrops venoms (b. alternatus, b. erythromelas, b. insularis, b. jararaca, ... | 2008 | 18200607 |
| identification of proteins similar to bothrops jararaca coagulation inhibitor (bji) in the plasmas of bothrops alternatus, bothrops jararacussu and crotalus durissus terrificus snakes. | bothrops jararaca coagulation inhibitor (bji), a protein isolated from b. jararaca plasma, specifically inhibits the coagulant activity of thrombin. our group previously identified proteins similar to bji in the plasma of other snakes [tanaka-azevedo, a.m., tanaka, a.s., sano-martins i.s., 2003. a new blood coagulation inhibitor from the snake bothrops jararaca plasma: isolation and characterization. biochem biophys res commun 308, 706-712.]. in the present study, we analyzed the presence of bji ... | 2008 | 17931922 |
| software system for three-dimensional volumetric reconstruction of histological sections: a case study for the snake chondrocranium. | volumetric digital computer-assisted reconstruction of histological sections is an attractive possibility for developmental studies. commercial solutions are very expensive for many educational institutions. therefore, we developed a software system for three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomical virtual models. the input data for the system are the digitized images from the histological samples of the chondrocranium of two crotalines, bothrops jararaca and crotalus durissus terrificus, and o ... | 2005 | 16114067 |
| chromatin supraorganization, dna fragmentation, and cell death in snake erythrocytes. | in nucleate erythrocytes of several vertebrate groups, the frequency and intensity of dna fragmentation associated with programmed cell death vary considerably. although hemoglobin efficiency may be related to erythrocyte life span, and hemoglobin types and erythrocyte life spans are assumed to vary in reptiles, no data on dna fragmentation and chromatin organization as related to cell death exist for snakes. in the present study, chromatin supraorganization, dna fragmentation, and cell death we ... | 2005 | 15746963 |
| bothrops sp. snake venoms: comparison of some biochemical and physicochemical properties and interference in platelet functions. | procoagulant, proteolytic, phospholipase and platelet pro-aggregating and inhibiting activities were screened for pooled venoms of seven bothrops species as well as crotalus durissus terrificus and lachesis muta snakes typical of the brazilian territory. as reported by other authors, we also found that examination of the electrophoretic and gel filtration patterns of bothrops snakes venoms could not be used for identification of the species of a given venom because of the lack of marked interspe ... | 1998 | 9580495 |
| detection of calcium-binding proteins in venom and duvernoy's glands of south american snakes and their secretions. | calcium-binding proteins (cabps) have been described as involved in the stimulus-secretion coupling mechanisms in secretory glands. cabps were revealed with 45ca, after electrophoresis in sds-page and transference to zeta probe membranes, in duvernoy's or venom gland homogenates from three families of south american snakes: viperidae (bothrops jararaca and crotalus durissus terrificus); elapidae (micrurus corallinus), and colubridae (phylodrias patagoniensis and oxyrhopus trigeminus). a band wit ... | 1997 | 9440247 |
| immunological studies on bah1 and bap1, two hemorrhagic metalloproteinases from the venom of the snake bothrops asper. | no immunological cross-reactivity was observed between bah1 and bap1, two hemorrhagic metalloproteinases isolated from b. asper venom, by gel immunodiffusion, western blotting and neutralization studies. cross-reactivity was detected with antisera against these toxins in several crotaline and viperine snake venoms by elisa, whereas no reactivity was observed with either antiserum against the venoms of bothrops nummifer, crotalus durissus terrificus, vipera russelli and several elapid venoms. ant ... | 1995 | 8533144 |
| kallikrein-kinin system in the plasma of snakes. | using pharmacological preparations suitable for assay of mammalian kinins, it was shown that bothrops jararaca (bj) venom and other kininogenases were unable to release kinins from snake plasma. the kallikrein-kinin system presents species-specificity in birds. in order to detect such a specificity in snakes, the effects of bj venom on snake blood pressure and the effect of incubates of snake plasma with trypsin, on snake blood pressure and snake uterus, were studied. the possibility of activati ... | 1992 | 1609651 |
| antigenic relationship among antihemorrhagic factors from snake and opossum plasmas. | immunological relationships among antihemorrhagic factors (ahf) present in the plasma of different snakes and a mammal (opossum) were studied. antibodies were prepared against purified bothrops jararaca and didelphis marsupialis aurita (opossum) ahf. the antigen-antibody reaction was determined by direct elisa and by the competition of homologous antigen-antibody reaction with a heterologous competitor antigen. plasmas from several snakes and from opossum were used as antigens. anti-ahf (b. jara ... | 1989 | 2620182 |
| heterologous fibrin sealant derived from snake venom: from bench to bedside - an overview. | hemostatic and adhesive agents date back to world war ii, when homologous fibrin sealant came onto scene. considering that infectious diseases can be transmitted via human blood, a new heterologous fibrin sealant was standardized in the 1990s. its components were a serine protease (a thrombin-like enzyme) extracted from the venom of crotalus durissus terrificus snakes and a fibrinogen-rich cryoprecipitate extracted from the blood of bubalus bubalis buffaloes. this new bioproduct has been used as ... | 2017 | 28396682 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |