TY - JOUR
T1 - Cardiotoxic Effects of Micrurus surinamensis (Cuvier, 1817) Snake Venom
AU - Reis, Lilian de Paula Gonçalves
AU - Botelho, Ana Flávia Machado
AU - Novais, Clara Rojo
AU - Fiúza, Aparecida Tatiane Lino
AU - Barreto, Maira Souza Oliveira
AU - Ferreira, Marina Guimarães
AU - Bonilla, Cesar
AU - Chavez-Olórtegui, Carlos
AU - Melo, Marília Martins
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Micrurus surinamensis is a coral snake from the Elapidae family of wide distribution in Amazonia Forest. Its venom contains neurotoxins that induce muscular and respiratory paralysis; however, its cardiovascular action is not yet characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiotoxic effects caused by M. surinamensis poisoning in rodents. Twelve guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were distributed in two groups (n = 6) named as control and envenomed. The control group received 0.2 ml of PBS/BSA via intramuscular injection (IM), while envenomed animals received 0.75 µg of venom per g of body weight, also via IM. Electrocardiographic examination (ECG) and biochemical serum tests were conducted before and 2 h after inoculation. ECG of the envenomed animals revealed severe progressive arrhythmias including atrioventricular block, supraventricular, and ventricular extrasystoles. Serum biochemistry showed significant increase in CK, CK-MB, and LDH enzymes corroborating the skeletal and cardiac muscle damage. Myonecrosis and degeneration were observed in both skeletal and heart muscle; nevertheless, transmission electron microscopy revealed cardiac muscle fibers fragmentation. In conclusion, M. surinamensis venom has a potent cardiotoxic activity eliciting arrhythmogenic effects and heart damage after only 2 h of envenomation.
AB - Micrurus surinamensis is a coral snake from the Elapidae family of wide distribution in Amazonia Forest. Its venom contains neurotoxins that induce muscular and respiratory paralysis; however, its cardiovascular action is not yet characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiotoxic effects caused by M. surinamensis poisoning in rodents. Twelve guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were distributed in two groups (n = 6) named as control and envenomed. The control group received 0.2 ml of PBS/BSA via intramuscular injection (IM), while envenomed animals received 0.75 µg of venom per g of body weight, also via IM. Electrocardiographic examination (ECG) and biochemical serum tests were conducted before and 2 h after inoculation. ECG of the envenomed animals revealed severe progressive arrhythmias including atrioventricular block, supraventricular, and ventricular extrasystoles. Serum biochemistry showed significant increase in CK, CK-MB, and LDH enzymes corroborating the skeletal and cardiac muscle damage. Myonecrosis and degeneration were observed in both skeletal and heart muscle; nevertheless, transmission electron microscopy revealed cardiac muscle fibers fragmentation. In conclusion, M. surinamensis venom has a potent cardiotoxic activity eliciting arrhythmogenic effects and heart damage after only 2 h of envenomation.
KW - Arrhythmias
KW - Coral snakes
KW - Elapidae
KW - Electrocardiography
KW - Electron microscopy
KW - Myotoxicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100818095&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12012-021-09640-7
DO - 10.1007/s12012-021-09640-7
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85100818095
SN - 1530-7905
VL - 21
SP - 462
EP - 471
JO - Cardiovascular Toxicology
JF - Cardiovascular Toxicology
IS - 6
ER -