Chromatographic separation of the venom of Egyptian black snake ( Walterinnesia aegyptia) and pharmacological characterization of its components

Abstract

Three neurotoxic components (W-III, W-IV and W-V) were isolated from the venom of Walterinnesia aegyptia by CM-cellulose column chromatography, followed by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-50 column. The ld 50 in mice (i.p.) was 0.95 μg per g body wt for W-III, 0.14 μg per g for W-IV and 0.2 μg per g for W-V, while in baby chicks (i.m.) it was over 0.5 μg per g for W-III, 0.12 μg per g for W-IV and 0.23 μg per g for W-V. All of the three toxins blocked the neuromuscular transmission of the isolated rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm and the chick biventer cervicis muscle and inhibited the response of the latter to acetylcholine, just like other postsynaptically acting snake neurotoxins. The neuromuscular block produced by W-III was reversible in both muscle preparations, whereas that by W-IV as well as W-V was irreversible in the chick biventer cervicis but partially reversible in the rat diaphragm.