BACKGROUND Snake and insect venoms have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects in the treatment of certain diseases including drug resistant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We evaluated and hypothesized the probable mechanisms of venoms against HIV. METHODS Previous literatures published over a period of 30 years (1979-2009) were searched using the key words snake venom, i...

Variation in venom composition is a ubiquitous phenomenon in snakes and occurs both interspecifically and intraspecifically. Venom variation can have severe outcomes for snakebite victims by rendering the specific antibodies found in antivenoms ineffective against heterologous toxins found in different venoms. The rapid evolutionary expansion of different toxin-encoding gene families in differe...

This paper focuses on the application of proteomic tools to study the composition and natural history of snake venoms, and their crossreactivity with current homologous and heterologous antivenoms. Proteomic analyses on Bothrops indicated the suitability of using PLA2 molecules as taxonomic and population-specific markers. The lack of phylogenetic clustering among Neotropical and Neartic rattle...

The prospective removal of snake venoms from the blood of snake-bitten patients is discussed here. Opportune neutralization of killer antigens from the blood of poisoned victims is a vital treatment step. Delays may lead to death, or cripple the patient permanently. The present procedure describes the elimination of venom antigens of a wide range of snakes from the blood of such patients. Compa...

Viper venoms act mainly on blood and blood vessels. Reports of ophthalmic manifestations after snakebite include ptosis and ophthalmoplegia. In the current study, we describe a case that developed bilateral retinal and subretinal hemorrhage following snakebite. Bilateral retinal hemorrhage is a rare ocular complication of snake envenomation and has not been reported with fundus photographs in t...

At least venomous snake bites 2000 persons each year in US. The severity of envenomation depends of the snake specie, its size, location of the bite and quantity of venom injected; but also depends of the health of the victim, age, size, and the time it takes to receive medical care. The envenomation is a medical emergency that requires fast attention to avoiding fatalities; in this sense, know...

A long-standing question in evolutionary studies of snake venoms is the extent to which phylogenetic divergence and diet can account for between-species differences in venom composition. Here we apply phylogeny-based comparative methods to address this question. We use data on venom variation generated using proteomic techniques for all members of a small clade of rattlesnakes (Sistrurus sp.) a...

Venoms of most Russian viper species are poorly characterized. Here, by quantitative chromato-mass-spectrometry, we analyzed protein and peptide compositions of venoms from four Vipera species (V. kaznakovi, V. renardi, V. orlovi and V. nikolskii) inhabiting different regions of Russia. In all these species, the main components were phospholipases A₂, their content ranging from 24% in V. orlovi...

Snakebites are a serious problem in public health due to their high morbimortality. Most of snake venoms produce intense local tissue damage, which could lead to temporary or permanent disability in victims. The available specific treatment is the antivenom serum therapy, whose effectiveness is reduced against these effects. Thus, the search for complementary alternatives for snakebite treatmen...

Snake has been known as a group of dangerous animals to everyone around the world since time unmemorable. Its venom is considered as a source of morbidity and mortality in human beings but it is also an important therapeutic agent for treating various types of cancers such leukaemia, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer etc. There is a wide range of snake species around the globe h...