SKELETAL MUSCLE DAMAGE CAUSED BY Bothrops leucurus (SERPENTES; VIPERIDAE) VENOM

MISE, Y.F.(1), CASAIS E SILVA, L.L.(1,2), BARBOSA, A.(3),LIRA-DA-SILVA, R.M.(1)

(1)Núcleo Regional de Ofiologiae Animais Peçonhentos da Bahia (NOAP), (1,2)Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (EBMSP), (3)CPGM/FIOCRUZ, Bahia

The Bothrops leucurus snakes known as “jararaca-do-rabo-branco” has large distribution in the State of Bahia, being responsible for the majority of registered cases at the Metropolitan Region of Salvador (98%). The aim of the study is to investigate the local tissue damage cause by B. leucurus venom assessed by quantifying the release of creatinekinase(CK) and by histological analysis. The myotoxicity was evaluated in vivo by intramuscular (50 ml) of B. leucurus crude venom (25, 50 or 100 mg/ml) over the gastrocnemius muscle of the right posterior limb. Control was injected with physiological saline solution. Blood were collected by orbital puncture after 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours. The plasma was separated by centrifugation and stored at 4^oC for subsequent determination of creatinekinase (CK) activity using CK-NAC Liquiform test (LABTEST Diagnóstica). For histological analysis, the muscle were removed and fixed on formol 10% and processed for examination by light microscopy. The peak of liberation of CK was detected at 6 (1758,16), 3-6 (1183,67 – 1145,44) and 3 (1718,16) hours for 25, 50 and 100 mg/ml, respectively. Morphological analysis revealed that Bleu venom affected a large number of muscle fibers as show by widespread and varying degrees of necrosis. These results confirmed the clinical observations and the myotoxicity of the B. leucurus venom that caused muscle damage and release of the CK into blood plasma.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Rejâne Maria Lira-da-Silva, Alameda Carrara, Nº 170, Ap. 103, Salvador, BA, CEP: 41850-090, Brasil, Email: rejane@ufba.br