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Ricin is a potent, plant‐derived, ribosome inactivating protein. To target ribosomes in the mammalian cytosol, ricin must firstly negotiate the endomembrane system of the cell to reach the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, the toxin is reduced and the catalytic A chain is recognised by ER components that facilitate its membrane translocation to the cytosol. To be toxic, ricin A chain must then avoid degradation,...
The desert black cobra (Walterinnesia aegyptia) is an elapid widely distributed throughout the deserts of Saudi Arabia and currently available antivenoms are ineffective in the treatment of its envenoming. Walterinnesia aegyptia venom was assessed for several of its physicochemical, enzymatic and biological characteristics. An antivenom was raised in sheep using a low-dose immunization schedule and...
The desert black cobra (Walterinnesia aegyptia) is an elapid widely distributed throughout the deserts of Saudi Arabia, and currently available antivenoms are ineffective. Walterinnesia aegyptia venom was assessed for its physical, biological and enzymatic characteristics. The venom showed high phospholipase A 2 l-amino-acid oxidase, phosphodiesterase, hyaluronidase and indirect haemolytic...
An antivenom must be effective, safe and available in an appropriate format at reasonable cost. In our experience, sheep offer many advantages over horses for antivenom production. They are available more widely and are less expensive both to purchase and to maintain; they have a better humoral immune response due, in part, to their tolerance of the most effective adjuvants; they do not produce...
Brown snakes (Pseudonaja sp.) are among the most deadly found in Australia, the venom containing both presynaptic and postsynaptic neurotoxins. The presynaptic component, textilotoxin, is thought to be the most potent and complex toxin isolated from a snake venom, while the predominant postsynaptic neurotoxin, pseudonajatoxin-a, binds irreversibly to acetylcholine receptors and is unusually large...
North American coral snakes (Micrurus fulvius ssp.) pose a minor yet significant health problem, with 15-20 bites recorded each year. In common with many other elapid species, the venom contains a potent postsynaptic neurotoxin which is responsible for the dominant clinical symptoms and deaths, though rare, are usually due to respiratory failure. Atypically for an elapid snake, envenoming frequently...
Brown snakes (Pseudonaja sp.) are responsible for most snakebites and snakebite deaths in Australia. Such envenomation results in neurotoxicity and, usually, a defibrination coagulopathy caused by a potent prothrombin activator. Respiratory support usually alleviates the sequelae of neurotoxicity, so that coagulopathy and associated cerebral haemorrhage is the major cause of death. There are four...
Sweden has only one venomous snake (Vipera berus berus), which causes about 200-300 bites per year. During 1991-1994, 31 patients were treated with an ovine affinity-purified Fab antivenom raised against V. b. berus venom. The antivenom significantly reduced the incidence of extensive swelling and pronounced anaemia, and shortened the time spent in hospital by 50%. There were no immediate or delayed...
An ovine affinity purified Fab antivenom was used in a clinical trial in Sweden to treat European adder (Vipera berus berus) envenoming. Immunoassays were developed to measure V. b. berus venom and antivenom concentrations in clinical samples to help assess the efficacy of treatment. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed, optimized and validated to measure plasma levels of V. b. berus venom and compared...
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