In-vitro Neurotoxicity of Two Malaysian Krait Species (Bungarus candidus and Bungarus fasciatus) Venoms: Neutralization by Monovalent and Polyvalent Antivenoms from Thailand

Toxins

Muhamad Rusdi Ahmad Rusmili²  Tee Ting Yee¹  Mohd Rais Mustafa³  Iekhsan Othman¹ 

[1] Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Bandar Sunway 46150, Malaysia; E-Mails:;Monash Venom Group, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia; E-Mail:;Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 59100, Malaysia; E-Mail:

关键词: venom;    krait;    snake;    neurotoxicity;    antivenom;    Bungarus fasciatus;    Bungarus candidus;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins6031036

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Bungarus candidus and Bungarus fasciatus are two species of krait found in Southeast Asia. Envenoming by these snakes is often characterized by neurotoxicity and, without treatment, causes considerable morbidity and mortality. In this study, the in vitro neurotoxicity of each species, and the effectiveness of two monovalent antivenoms and a polyvalent antivenom, against the neurotoxic effects of the venoms, were examined in a skeletal muscle preparation. Both venoms caused concentration-dependent inhibition of indirect twitches, and attenuated responses to exogenous nicotinic receptor agonists, in the chick biventer preparation, with B. candidus venom being more potent than B. fasciatus venom. SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis indicated different profiles between the venoms. Despite these differences, most proteins bands were recognized by all three antivenoms. Antivenom, added prior to the venoms, attenuated the neurotoxic effect of the venoms. Interestingly, the respective monovalent antivenoms did not neutralize the effects of the venom from the other Bungarus species indicating a relative absence of cross-neutralization. Addition of a high concentration of polyvalent antivenom, at the t₉₀ time point after addition of venom, partially reversed the neurotoxicity of B. fasciatus venom but not B. candidus venom. The monovalent antivenoms had no significant effect when added at the t₉₀ time point. This study showed that B. candidus and B. fasciatus venoms display marked in vitro neurotoxicity in the chick biventer preparation and administration of antivenoms at high dose is necessary to prevent or reverse neurotoxicity.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.