Elsevier

Toxicon

Volume 38, Issue 12, 1 December 2000, Pages 1855-1858
Toxicon

Short communication
Neutralisation of the clotting activity of Australian snake venoms by snake plasma

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0041-0101(99)00235-4Get rights and content

Abstract

Plasmas from Pseudonaja textilis and Notechis scutatus were tested in vitro for their ability to neutralise the procoagulant activity, in human plasma, of nine elapid venoms. Pseudonaja textilis plasma inhibited the procoagulant activity of all Pseudonaja species and in one taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus). However there was no inhibitory activity against any from the Notechis species. Plasma from Notechis scutatus exhibited no inhibitory activity against any Notechis species, including self, only weak inhibition against the Pseudonaja species and, again, total inhibition of Oxyuranus scutellatus. Thus, protection of a species from the effects of its own venom does not appear to be universal.

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