Abstract

MARUNAK, S.L et al. Acción de venenos ofídicos del género Bothrops (yarará) sobre la membrana de eritrocitos de carnero. Rev. vet. [online]. 2013, vol.24, n.2, pp.107-112. ISSN 1669-6840.

The study of erythrocyte osmotic resistance is important in the determination of certain clinical problems, as well as the morphological changes of the plasma membrane of red blood cells. Sheep red blood cells were incubated with snake venom of different Bothops genus (B. diporus, B. jararaca, B. jararacussu, B. moojeni) for 30 minutes at 37°C. Then, they were submitted to decreasing osmolarity solutions (0.85 to 0.20 g/l of NaCl), incubated at 4°C for a maximum period of 3 hours, and then the absorbance of the supernatant was determined at 540 nm using a spectrophotometer. The erythrocytes incubated with different venoms were also observed under optical and electron microscopes. All tested venoms showed a similar behavior, being coincident with the minimum osmotic resistance of 0.70 g/l NaCl and the maximum with 0.20 g/l except for the venom of B. jararacussu that caused the maximum hemolysis with 0.50 g/l NaCl. Optical microscopy showed spiculated erythrocytes and poikilocytosis; major changes in the plasma membrane were detected by electron microscope. Some venoms induced more severe damage than others, and in general a decrease in cell size was observed, while B. jararacussu venom destroyed most of the cell membranes. It is noteworthy to stand out that our studies are in vitro assays, and in a patient with a snake’s bite accident most of the events that take place include endogenous components, with a different environment which may facilitate or prevent the lytic activity.

Keywords : Snake; Venom; Erythrocytes; Osmotic fragility; Electron microscopy.

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