Comparative study of reference Bothrops venom in relation to the venom of Bothrops jararaca born in captivity in herpetology laboratory of the Instituto Butantan

Abstract

The genus Bothrops (Viperidae family) has more than 30 species and subspecies of snakes distributed between the Central and South Americas. Members of this genus are important from a clinical standpoint, accounting for approximately 70% of snakebites in Brazil. The study of snake venoms is an importante area of scientific research and biomedical, mainly because of their pathophysiological actions such as neurotoxic, bleeding, clotting and tissue damage. Concerning to Bothrops venom, three pathophysiological activities are described: proteolytic also characterized as acute inflammatory and haemorrhagic coagulant. The elucidation of these activities is important both for research related to poisons, as for the production of sera antiophidic, considering that, if present, changes can result in the production of sera and less effective in inconsistent results in scientific research. In this context, although there is a search for standardization and stabilization of the different components of snake venoms, still lack conclusive results in both respects. There is a clear need for the use of poisons reference to the national level, as well as the standardization of testing methods of the biological activities of snake venoms in Brazil to ensure uniformity in the sera antiophidic. Thus, since 1987 the National Institute of Quality Control in Health (INCQS) and Brazilian laboratories antivenom producers began to use the National Reference Bothrops venom, to improve the accuracy of the determinations collaborative power of this antivenom. Consequently, the Butantan Institute became responsible for the preparation and distribution of Poisons bothropic National Reference for both the preparation of the sera antiophidic as to their use in research. The first extractions of newcomers snakes to the Instituto Butantan are used for the preparation of reference venom However, the significant reduction in the number of snakes donated to the Institute has caused concern in the preparation of this National Poison Reference. In addition, a comparative study of the characteristics of these poisons compared to snake venoms hatched in captivity has not yet been established. Thus, considering the importance of elucidating the composition of both venom reference, as obtained snakes kept in captivity, this study aims to compare the venom of the snake Bothrops jararaca reference with snakes born in captivity and kept in the Laboratory of Herpetology the Instituto Butantan. (AU)