Biological characterization of Bothrops marajoensis snake venom

Published online: 19 October 2011

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Walter LG Cavalcante †,¥ , Saraguaci Hernandez-Oliveira †, Charlene Galbiatti † , Priscila Randazzo-Moura †, Thalita Rocha ‡ , Luis Ponce-Soto §, Sérgio Marangoni §, Maeli Dal Pai-Silva ¶, Márcia Gallacci ¥ , Maria A da Cruz-Höfling ‡ , Léa Rodrigues-Simioni †*

† Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Biology Institute Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), CP 6111, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

‡ Department of Histology and Embriology, Biology Institute Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), CP 6111, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

§ Department of Biochemistry, Biology Institute Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), CP 6111, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil

¶ Department of Morphology, São Paulo State University, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil

¥ Department of Pharmacology, São Paulo State University, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil

*Correspondence to: Léa Rodrigues-Simioni, E-mail: simioni@unicamp.br, Tel: +55 19 35219536, Fax: +55 19 32892968

Received: 22 June 2011, Revised: 03 October 2011, Accepted: 11 October 2011

© Copyright The Authors

ABSTRACT

This study describe s the effects of Bothrops marajoensis venom (Marajó lancehead) on isolated neuromuscular preparations of chick biventer cervicis (CBC) and mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND). At low concentrations (1µg/ml for CBC and 5µg/ml for PND), the venom exhibited a neuromuscular blocking without any damaging effect on the muscle integrity. At higher concentration (20 m g/m l for PND), together with the neuromuscular blockade, there was a moderate myonecrosis. The results show differences between mammalian and avian preparations in response to venom concentration; the avian preparation was more sensitive to venom neurotoxic effect than the mammalian preparation . The possible presynaptic mechanism underlying the neuromuscular blocking effect was reinforced by the observed increase in MEPPs at the same time ( at 15min) when the facilitation of twitch tension occurred. These results indicate that the B. marajoensis venom produced neuromuscular blockade , which appeared to be presynaptic at low concentrations with a postsynaptic component at high concentrations, leading to muscle oedema . These observations demand the fractionation of the crude venom and characterization of its active components for a better understanding of its biological dynamics.

KEYWORDS: Marajó lancehead , neuromuscular junction, neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, presynaptic effects