Nerve growth factor from Egyptian snake venoms

Abstract

A nerve growth factor has been isolated from the venoms of Naja nigricollis and Echis coloratus. Treatment of the venom with antiserum, incubation with acid for 1 hr or heating the venom at 90°C for 5 min abolished the nerve growth stimulating activity. The activity was retained after treatment with alkali for 1 hr. Ionophoretic Fraction II, which corresponds to the chamber where the original venom was introduced, exhibited some activity, but much less than that of the original venom. A high percent of the activity was recovered from the anodal fraction of starch gel electrophoresis.