Venoms

Animal venoms contain highly toxic components that cause inflammation and tissue destruction at the point of contact or in the region of a sting or bite. General symptoms are mediated by toxins including activators or inactivators of blood clots and complement systems, cytotoxins directed to a variety of target cells and neurotoxins.

Keywords: envenoming; antivenom; serotherapy; scorpion stings; spider bite; snake bite

 References
    book Arocha-Piñango CL, Blumenfeld-Bosch N, Nouel AL et al. (1998) "Fibrinolytic and procoagulant agents from a Saturniidae moth caterpillar". In: Pirkle H and Markland FS (eds) Haemostasis and Animal Venom, pp. 223–240. New York: Marcel Dekker.
    Cavinato RA, Remold H and Kipnis TL (1998) Putrification and variability in the thrombin-like activity of Bothrops atrox venom from different geographic regions. Toxicon 36: 257–267.
    Cordeiro MN, Richardson M, Gilroy J et al. (1995) Properties of the venom from the South American ‘armed’ spider Phoneutria nigriventer (Keiserling, 1891). Journal of Toxicology. Toxin Reviews 14: 309–326.
    De Lima ME and Martin-Eauclaire MF (1995) The toxins purified from Tityus serrulatus (Lutz and Mello) venom. Journal of Toxicology 14: 457–481.
    book Denis EA (1983) "Phospholipases". In: Boyer PD (ed.) The Enzymes, 3rd edn., vol. 16, pp. 307–353.
    Dias da Silva W, Tambourgi DV, Campos ACMR et al. (1994) Pro-inflammatory activities in elapid snake venoms. Journal of Toxicology 14: 375–400.
    Duarte AC, Caovilla J, Lorini D et al. (1990) Insuficiência reanl aguda por acidentes com lagartas. J. Bras. Nefrol. 12: 184–187.
    book Endo T and Tamiya N (1991) "Structure–function relationships of postsynaptic neurotoxins from snake venoms". In: Harvey AL (ed.) Snake Toxins, chap. 2, pp. 165–222. New York: Pergamon Press.
    Fujii S, Ikeda K and Hayashi K (1998) Catalytic and toxicity mechanisms of secretory phospholipases A2. Journal of Toxicology. Toxin Reviews 17: 279–313.
    Gomez MV, Romano-Silva MA and Prado MAM (1995) Effects of tityustoxin on central nervous system. Journal of Toxicology. Toxin Reviews 14: 437–456.
    Kelen EMA, Picarelli ZP and Duarte AC (1995) Hemorrhagic syndrome induced by contact with caterpillars of the genus Lonomia (Saturnidae, Hemileucinae). Journal of Toxicology. Toxin Reviews 14: 283–308.
    Markland FS (1998) Snake venoms and their hemostatic system (review paper). Toxicon 36: 1749–1800.
    Nishikawa AK, Caricati CP, Lima MLSR et al. (1994) Antigenic cross-reactivity among the venoms from several species of Brazilian scorpions. Toxicon 32: 989–998.
    book Simard MJ and Watt DD (1990) "Venoms and toxins". In: Polis GA (ed.) The Biology of Scorpions, pp. 414–443. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
    Tambourgi DV, dos Santos MC, Furtado MFD et al. (1994) Pro-inflammatory activities in elapid snake venoms. British Journal of Pharmacology 112: 723–727.
    Tambourgi DV, Magnoli F, Eickstedt VRD, Petricevich VL and Dias da Silva W (1995) Incorporation of a 35-kilodalton purified protein from Loxosceles intermedia venom transforms human erythrocytes into activators of autologous complement alternative pathway. Journal of Immunology 155: 4459–4466.
    Tambourgi DV, Petricevich VL, Magnoli F et al. (1998) Endotoxemic like shock induced by Loxosceles intermedia spider venom: pathological changes and putative cytokine mediators. Toxicon 36: 391–403.
 Further Reading
    book Bon C and Goyffon (eds) (1995) Envenomings and their Treatments. Lyon: Mérieux.
    Denis EA (1994) Diversity of group types, regulation, and function of phospholipase A2. Journal of Biological Chemistry 269: 13057–13060.
    book Harvey AL (ed.) (1991) Snake Venoms. International Encyclopedia of Pharmacology. New York: Pergamon Press.
    book Jouglard J, de Haro L, David JM and Arditti J (1996) "Experience of envenoming at the Marseilles Poison Centre". In: Bon C and Goyffon M (eds) Envenomings and their Treatments. Paris: Mérieux.
    Ownby CL, Selistre de Araujo HS, White SP and Fletcher JE (1999) Lysine 49 phospholipase A2 proteins. Toxicon 37: 411–445.
    book Polis GA (ed.) (1990) The Biology of Scorpions. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
    book Taylor FJR (1990) "Red tides, brown tides and other harmful algae blooms: the view into 1990s". In: Granél E, Sundstrom B, Edier L and Anderson DM (eds) Toxic Marine Phytoplankton. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Toxic Marine Phytoplankton, pp. 527–533. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
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Silva, W Dias da, and Kipnis, Thereza L(Apr 2001) Venoms. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0000939]