Toxicity of Bothrops neuwiedi complex (“yarará chica”) venom from different regions of Argentina (Serpentes, Viperidae)

Abstract

We report a study of toxic and enzymatic activities of Bothrops neuwiedi complex venoms collected from specimens of different regions of Argentina and a pool of these same venoms. Were determined lethal, hemorrhagic and pro-coagulant (plasma and fibrinogen) doses and the neutralization of these activities by a bivalent antivenom. The electrophoretic pattern of different regions venom was studied by SDS–PAGE. All samples exhibited lethal potencies, hemorrhagic and coagulant (plasma and fibrinogen) activities with potencies concordant with previous studies. The only conspicuous difference in the toxicological pattern of Bothrops diporus venoms was the low-thrombin-like activity found in one sample. The antivenom used in this study could neutralize all the toxic activities tested and the neutralizing potency of the antivenom was comparable for all samples. Despite the wide distribution of B. neuwiedi complex throughout Argentina and the evident morphological variation between B. diporus (B. neuwiedi complex), this study establishes a remarkably similar toxicity profile throughout its range. This is the first systematic study on the regional variation of enzymatic and toxic activities of venom from species belonging to the B. neuwiedi complex, one of the snakes of highest sanitary importance in South America and their neutralization by the type of antivenom most commonly used in the South of South America.