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Revista de Biología Tropical
On-line version ISSN 0034-7744Print version ISSN 0034-7744
Abstract
URIBE-ARJONA, Alina et al. Toxicological, enzymatic, and immunochemical characterization of Bothrops asper (Serpentes: Viperidae) reference venom from Panama. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2021, vol.69, n.1, pp.127-138. ISSN 0034-7744. http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v69i1.39502.
Introduction:
It is estimated that 2 000 snakebites occur in Panama every year, 70 % of which are inflicted by Bothrops asper.
Objective:
To determine the biochemical and toxicologic effects and to assess the immunochemical characteristics of a reference pool of B. asper venom representative of Panama.
Methods:
The reference venom was prepared as a homogeneous mixture of the venoms obtained from 78 adult snakes collected in four geographic areas of Panama. Enzymatic and toxicological activities were assessed. The electrophoretic pattern was studied by SDS-PAGE. Immunoreactivity of various antivenoms was analyzed by Western blot.
Results:
B. asper reference venom has lethal, hemorrhagic, myotoxic, edema-forming, coagulant, defibrinating, proteinase and phospholipase A2 activities. SDS-PAGE showed the presence of protein bands with molecular weights ranging from 8 to 70 kDa, with the presence of predominant bands at ≈ 15 kDa and ≈ 30 to 66 kDa, which likely correspond to phospholipases A2 and metalloproteinases, respectively. Immunoblotting showed a high degree of recognition by various antivenoms, especially by antivenoms from Colombia and Costa Rica.
Conclusions:
Following recommendations by the World Health Organization, this reference venom of B. asper of Panama will become a useful tool for the preclinical evaluation of antivenoms distributed in this country.
Keywords : snakebite; venom; toxicity; immunochemical characterization; antivenom.