COMPARATIVE NEPHROTOXICITY OF NATIVE OR Co-60 GAMMA RAYS IRRADIATED CROTOXIN IN MICE

摘要

Snake venoms are complex mixtures of proteins and peptides with a wide spectrum of physiological targets such as the blood coagulation and cardiovascular systems and the motor end plate among others. Acute renal failure is a common complication in accidents with the South American rattlesnake. The toxin involved in this pathology is the crotoxin, a major component of the venom in terms of concentration and toxicity. Snake venoms, when irradiated with ~(60)Co gamma rays present a significant decrease in toxicity while the immunogenic properties of its components are preserved. The use of irradiated venom is an attractive alternative for antisera production since it might reduce the appearance of renal lesions improving the welfare and lifespan of those animals employed on antivenom production. At the present work, we have compared the effects of native and irradiated crotoxin on the mice renal function. Tubular lesions were observed in all the samples from the animal group injected with native crotoxin. Animals injected with the irradiated toxin presented alteration only after 30 minutes and 1 hour after injection. These data suggest that the onset of the renal lesions is delayed and that the severity of the lesions might be lower when using irradiated crotoxin.