Cytotoxicity of Southeast Asian snake venoms

A Jamunaa,I Halijah,J Vejayan,S Ambu,Sh Sharifah

doi:10.1590/s1678-91992012000200004

Abstract

Cytotoxicity of venoms from eleven medically important snakes found in Southeast Asia (Naja kaouthia, Naja siamensis, Naja sumatrana, Ophiophagus hannah, Bungarus candidus, Bungarus fasciatus, Enhydrina schistosa, Calloselasma rhodostoma, Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus and Tropidolaemus sumatranus) was determined, based on the MTS cytotoxicity assay, which determines the survival of viable cells in monolayer MDCK and Vero cell cultures upon exposure to the snake venoms. Snake venom toxicity was expressed as the venom dose that killed 50% of the cells (CTC50) under the assay conditions. Venoms of C. rhodostoma (2.6 µg/mL, 1.4 µg/mL) and O. hannah were the most cytotoxic (3.8 µg/mL, 1.7 µg/mL) whereas N. siamensis venom showed the least cytotoxicity (51.9 µg/mL, 45.7 µg/mL) against Vero and MDCK cells, respectively. All the viper venoms showed higher cytotoxic potency towards both Vero and MDCK cell lines, in comparison to krait and cobra venoms. E. schistosa did not cause cytotoxicity towards MDCK or Vero cells at the tested concentrations. The cytotoxicity correlates well with the known differences in the composition of venoms from cobras, kraits, vipers and sea snakes.

Highlights

Venomous snakebites are a significant yet neglected medical problem worldwide, especially in developing countries [1]
Cytotoxicity (CTC50) was estimated by curve interpolation, as the venom dose resulting in 50% death of Madine-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) and vitro system of green monkey kidney cells (Vero) cell populations, after plotting the mean percentage of surviving cells against the concentration of venom solution
The cytotoxicity curves obtained for snake venoms in Vero and MDCK are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 respectively

Summary

Introduction

Venomous snakebites are a significant yet neglected medical problem worldwide, especially in developing countries [1]. In Malaysia, as many as 55,000 snakebite cases were admitted to hospitals during the period from 1958 to 1980 [2]. The statistics and data for snakebite epidemiology in Malaysia are normally inadequate and inaccurate because countless ophidian accident victims choose to be treated by traditional healers and do not seek proper treatment in hospitals. The venomous snakes of Southeast Asia can be generally divided into two important families, Elapidae and Viperidae. The medically important species in Southeast Asia include Naja kaouthia (Elapidae), Naja siamensis (Elapidae), Naja sumatrana (Elapidae), Ophiophagus hannah (Elapidae), Bungarus candidus (Elapidae), Bungarus fasciatus (Elapidae), Enhydrina schistosa (Elapidae), Calloselasma rhodostoma (Viperidae), Trimerusurus wagleri (Viperidae), Trimerusurus purpureomaculatus (Viperidae) and Trimerusurus sumatranus (Viperidae)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion