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384338

Isolation and Characterization of a Neurotoxic Fraction from Cerastes cerastes cerastes Snake Venom

Article

Last updated: 24 Dec 2024

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Abstract

Cerastes cerastes cerastes is an Egyptian viper which belongs to the family of Viperidae and the genus Cerastes. There is no available information on the neurotoxic action of C.c.cerastes. The present work aimed to test the neurotoxicity of Cerastes cerastes cerastes crude venom and to isolate and purify the neurotoxic fraction(s). The neurotoxicity was verified by neuromuscular techniques (rat phrenic nerve hemi diaphragm, RPNH), and neurobehavioral experiments. The present results showed that Cerastes venom (20 µg/ml) and a purified caseinolytic fraction (10 µg/ml) inhibited the contractile responses of indirect RPNH. The contractile responses to acetylcholine (10-3 M), carbachol (2x10-6 M) and KCl (60 mM) were inhibited by the venom and the purified fraction. However, i.p. injection of the fraction (73 µg/100gm b.w) elicited a group of behavioral changes which included some stereotypes, abnormal movements and postures, some respiratory disturbances, rats became quiet and sluggish in movements and there were periods of immobility. The observed hypo-locomotion was quantitatively verified by using two different types of activity cages. The fraction caused a significant decrease in the locomotor activity in both cages, the decrease was more remarkable in the activity wheel cage. The results suggested that C.c.cerastes venom has neurotoxic activity which is mainly concentrated in fraction 1. Both the crude venom and the purified fraction act primarily postsynaptically to depress muscle contractility.

DOI

10.21608/eajbsz.2024.384338

Keywords

Cerastes, phrenic nerve hemi-diaphragm, postsynaptic neurotoxin, Behavior

Authors

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Soliman

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box. 114. Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Email

msoliman@jazanu.edu.sa

City

Saudi Arabia

Orcid

-

Volume

16

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

49082

Issue Date

2024-12-01

Receive Date

2024-09-04

Publish Date

2024-10-10

Page Start

135

Page End

146

Print ISSN

2090-0759

Online ISSN

2090-0821

Link

https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/article_384338.html

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https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=384338

Order

384,338

Type

Original Article

Type Code

672

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology

Publication Link

https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Isolation and Characterization of a Neurotoxic Fraction from Cerastes cerastes cerastes Snake Venom

Details

Type

Article

Created At

24 Dec 2024