Biological properties of some medically important snake species of Pakistan

Venoms from eight medically important snake species including three sea snake species, belonging to families Viperidae and Elapidae, were tested for lethal, hemolytic [direct and indirect] edema - inducing and hemorrhagic activities. The species includes five from family Elapidae; Hydrophis cyanocinctus, Enhydrina schistosa, Naja naja. Bungarus caeruleus and Microcephalophis gracilis gracilis whereas three from family Viperidae; Vipera russelli russelli, Eristochphis macmahoni and Echis carinatus. All venom tested moderate to high levels of lethal, hemolytic [both direct and indirect] and edema - inducing activities, except that venoms of snake species of family Elapidae, including the sea snake species, are characterized by low levels or absence of hemorrhagic activity. LD 50 values were found to be 0.39mg/kg 0.41 mg/kg 0.28 mg/kg. 0.30 mg/kg and 0.40 mg/kg for the species of family Elapidae respectively whereas 0.30 mg/kg, 0.26 mg/kg and 0.41 mg/kg for species of family Viperidae

Effect of drugs against cytotoxic compounds from marine animals I-nephrotoxic activity of sea-snake microcephalophis gracilis gracilis venom

Protective effectiveness of two Ca2+ - antagonist drugs, verapamil and diltiazem were tested against nephrotoxic activity of sea - snake Microcephalphis gracilis gracilis venom in guinea pigs and albino rats. Administration of both lethal and sublethal does of Microcephalphis gracilis gracilis crude venom induced glomerulonephritis and tubular degeneration in kidneys of envenomated animals accompanied by increased tissue Ca2 + concentration. Administration of both verapamil and diltiazem in envenomated animals not only cause significant decrease in ca2 + concentration but also reduced necrosis and cellular degeneration in kidneys. It is thus suggested that cytotoxic compounds present in this marine vomom cause tissue and cellular necrosis by increasing Ca2+ influx within the cells which in turn stimulates Ca2 + -dependent processes resulting in both organ dysfunction and some - time fatality in few cases

Phagocytic activities of neutrophils of peripheral blood in normal individuals: an establishment of the validity of the techniques

The phagocytic activity of neutrophils were evaluated by the phenomenon of phagocytosis and NBT reduction in the peripheral blood of eighty, apparently health individuals in an attempt to establish the validity of the techniques. These techniques were performed by utilizing neutrophils as phagocytes, bakers years as phagocytic substance and NBT dye as reducing substance. The activity of neutrophils as phagocyte were calculated in the terms of percent phagocytosis, phagocytic index and percent of NBT positive cells. Over all it was noticed that these techniques were simple easily reproducible and could be undertaken in any laboratory. The purpose of the study was to establish assays to evaluate neutrophil function in a normal population

experimental study of analgesic nephropathy in rabbit: a light microscopic study

This experimental study of analgesic nephropathy was conducted on rabbit divided into four equal groups [A, B, C, D]. Group A served as control. The drugs acetylsalicylic acid [Aspirin] 600 mg/Kg/day and Paracetamol [Acetaminophen] 300 mg/Kg/day alone as well as combination of Acetylsalicylic acid [300 mg/Kg/day] and Paracetamol [150 mg/Kg/day] were administered orally to groups B, C and D respectively for 4 weeks. After four weeks, the animals were sacrificed. Histopathological evaluation of renal tissue of each animal revealed that control group "A" animals did not show any abonormality. The acetylsalicylic acid treated group "B" showed acute pyelonephritis [71%], mild pyelitis [14%] and congestion of renal pelvis [14%]. The group "C" receiving paracetarnol revealed acute pyelonephritis [14%], acute pyelitis [43%], pelvic congestion [14%] and no change in 28% animals. The group "D" receiving combination of acetylsalicylic acid and Paracetamol showed interstitial nephritis [14%], acute pyelitis [14%], cloudy swelling [14%] and pelvic congestion in 43% animals. This study indicates that acetylsalicylic acid is more injurious to kidneys than paracetamol and these drugs do not have potentiating effect