THESIS: M.C. dos Santos submitted this thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Immunology publicly examined at the Institute of Biomedical Science of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil in 1993.
Advisor: Professor Wilmar Dias da Silva
ABSTRACT. The biological activities of the yellow and white venoms of Crotalus durissusruruima Hoge, 1965, found in the savanna-like vegetation (cerrado) in northern Brazil (state of Roraima) and Venezuela have been studied and compared with the Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. The lethal activity of these venoms depended on the inoculation route. The white venom was found to be the most toxic. The venoms of C. d. terrificus and the yellow venom of C. d. ruruima were similar in regard to lethality. The yellow venom of C. d. ruruima showed a caseinolytic activity three-fold higher than that obtained with either C. d. terrificus venom or C. d. ruruima white venom. Hemorrhagic and necrotic activities were found only in the yellow venom. The white and yellow venoms of C. d. ruruima showed a similar action on fibrinogen. This thrombin-like effect was higher with C. d. terrificus venom. Histopathological sections showed local and pulmonary hemorrhage only with the yellow venom, but a myonecrotic activity was observed with both venoms of C d. ruruima. Of all the antivenoms studied, the anti-bothropic-crotalic was the most efficient in the neutralization of hemorrhagic and hemolytic activities. These results suggest that the bothropic-crotalic antivenom should be used in the treatment of patients bitten by C. d. ruruima. In addition, it neutralizes both the lethal activity and the hemorrhagic activity of some venoms.
CORRESPONDENCE TO:
M.C. DOS SANTOS - Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas,
Universidade do Amazonas, CEP 69677-000, Manaus, AM, Brasil.
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
08 Jan 1999 -
Date of issue
1996
