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Diseases of the Nervous System
Published in George Feuer, Felix A. de la Iglesia, Molecular Biochemistry of Human Disease, 2020
George Feuer, Felix A. de la Iglesia
Snake venoms contain a complex mixture of toxic proteins which act on several organs with ensuing neurotoxicity or hemolysis.589 Snake neurotoxins are rapidly absorbed from subcutaneous tissues and distributed throughout the body, with high concentration at the motor end plates, where the primary action manifests. Scorpion venoms or scorpamines are lethal neurotoxins. They contain small basic proteins and hyaluronidase which increase capillary permeability. The mechanism of action of these toxins resides in the presence of disulfide bridges and lysine residues.71,168,411 Certain spider’s bites cause a variety of signs, ranging from local pain and necrosis to systemic hemolysis and nervous system dysfunction. Tarantulas secrete occasionally toxic venom, but the most toxic is the black widow spider, Lactrodectus mactans, which causes frequent and severe neurologic dysfunction.,71,589 Bee stings can exert nervous system actions. Severe anaphylactic reactions are accompanied by cerebral edema and vascular congestion. Widespread demyelination can exert effects on the peripheral and central nervous system. A relationship has been reported between the action of bee stings and local mononeuropathies.508
Traditional Knowledge of Antivenom Plants
Published in José L. Martinez, Amner Muñoz-Acevedo, Mahendra Rai, Ethnobotany, 2019
Carolina Alves dos Santos, Marco V. Chaud, Valquíria Miwa Hanai Yoshida, Raksha Pandit, Mahendra Rai, Yoko Oshima-Franco
Serum therapy is one of the measure for the treatment of poisoning caused by snakebites. The main aim of serum therapy is that it can reverse the effects of the complex and varied composition of substances and proteins present in the venom. The pathophysiological process of poisoning involves toxins such as metalloproteins, proteinases, phospholipases, hyaluronidases, pharmacological enzymes and mediators (Gomes et al. 2016). Poisoning may result in different degrees of toxicity such as neuroparalysis, multiple organ failure, and death (Naik and Sadananda 2017). The pathophysiological effects induced by snake venom are tissue necrosis, inhibition of platelet aggregation, hemorrhage, edema, etc. (Fig. 7.1).
Biology and Distribution of Venomous Snakes of Medical Importance and The Composition of Snake Venoms
Published in Jürg Meier, Julian White, Handbook of: Clinical Toxicology of Animal Venoms and Poisons, 2017
Snake venoms are unique mixtures with reference to their biochemical and pharmacological properties. They are either colourless or yellowish, depending on the amount of L-amino acid oxidase present, an enzyme with riboflavin as part of its prosthetic group. Since freshly collected venoms are not stable, drying is essential for maintaining their biological activity50,53. However, it has been shown that different drying procedures also influence venom activity and some activities present in fresh venom might even be destroyed during drying83
Snake venom toxins targeting the central nervous system
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2023
Amit Talukdar, Priya Maddhesiya, Nima Dondu Namsa, Robin Doley
Over the last few decades, researchers have investigated the interactions of various snake venom components with the CNS. However, there is a lack of sufficient investigations available for the PNS and specific tissues and organs. The typical nature of the BBB which acts as a permeability barrier poses a major hurdle in understanding the interaction of venoms with the CNS. However, the discovery of snake venom peptides capable of crossing the BBB has provided a significant boost to the research area. Scientists are now able to deliver drugs through the bloodstream to the CNS by conjugating the drug molecule with some snake venom peptides. Also, studies on the snake venom peptides have made it possible to design different synthetic peptides to specifically target receptors in the CNS. This has complemented the research on targeted drug delivery for the treatment of various nervous conditions such as pain, anxiety, tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases. A lot of snake venom peptides are yet to be identified and understanding the structure-function relationship with receptors present in the brain would lead to the discovery of receptor-specific molecules for neurological therapies.
The anti-cancer effect of Echis coloratus and Walterinnesia aegyptia venoms on colon cancer cells
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2021
Maha Daghestani, Hana H. Hakami, Zeinab K. Hassan, Gamal Badr, Maysoor H. Amin, Mohannad H. Amin, Ramesa Shafi Bhat
Venom-producing animals possess a variety of toxins with different physiological and anti-cancer activities in vivo (Ravi 2018). Snake venom contains many active compounds which can be used as a biological resource with abundant therapeutic value (Poulsen et al. 2005, Kim et al. 2007, Son et al. 2007, Song et al. 2012, Lee et al. 2016). The cytotoxic activity of various snake venoms in vitro and in vivo against cancer cells has been previously reported (Braganca et al.1967, Lipps 1998, Arruda Macedo et al.2015, Bradshaw et al.2016). Snake venoms act on cancer cells by their cell interactions through either integrins or other cell receptors (Bradshaw et al. 2016, Arruda Macedo et al. 2015). Crude snake venoms, as well as purified snake venom proteins, have been reported to have cytolytic activity on KB and Yoshida tumor cells (Angeletti 1968, Tsai et al.1975, Gomez-Leiva and Pazos-Sanou 1983, Mendez et al.2011). Venoms from snakes are rich in many active proteins which can help to cure many types of cancers (Gomes et al.2010). Several recent studies have shown that specific molecules present in the snake venoms are able to retard the tumor cells completely by inhibiting cell proliferation (Lin et al.2010, Nunes et al.2012, Park et al. 2012). Snake venoms can promote cancer cell death by inducing apoptosis in tumor cell and can interrupt with the expression of proteins involved in control cell cycle (Bernardes-Oliveira et al.2016, Moga et al. 2018).
Beneficial effect of low dose gamma irradiation or quercetin on Cerastes cerastes snake venom induced toxicity in male rats
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2021
Snake venom, a biologically active fluid, is considered one of the most highly developed and complicated of all toxins produced by animals. The toxicity of venoms cannot be attributed to only one component (Koh et al.2006, Fatima and Fatah 2014). Generally, snake venom contains complex mixtures of hundreds of important pharmacologically active molecules. Chemically, snake venom includes two main components; protein and non-protein components, which are inorganic and organic such as toxins, growth factors, activators and inhibitors (Kang et al.2011, Tasoulis and Isbister 2017). In addition to the direct effects of venom components on the bite site, contribution of endogenous mediators is also participating to the induction of cellular and enzymatic damage of different organs (Voronov et al.1999). These mediators are produced in response to numerous inflammatory stimuli (Caimi et al.2010).