Received: November 20, 2006.

Accepted: May 2, 2007.

Abstract published online: May 7, 2007.

Full paper published online: August 31, 2007.

HISTOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS INDUCED BY SUBLETHAL DOSES OF Bothrops jararacussu VENOM IN MICE

ZENI A. L. B. (1), BECKER A. (1), KRUG M. (1), ALBUQUERQUE C. A. C. (1)

(1) Department of Natural Sciences, Center of Exact and Natural Sciences, Regional University of Blumenau, Blumenau, Santa Catarina State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Snake venom is characterized by hemorrhagic, coagulant, proteolytic and myotoxic activities which in Bothrops jaracussu venom are related to intraspecific variations. In the present study, female Swiss mice were divided into two groups: treated with 25mg or 50mg venom. These were subdivided into three groups of six animals each, according to blood collection: 2, 4 or 24h after venom injection. Animals were anesthetized using diethyl-ether inhalation and 1ml of blood was collected by heart puncture. Then, the following organs were removed: spleen, skeletal muscle, kidneys, liver and lungs; histological sections were obtained and stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE). The following biochemical parameters were analyzed: aspartate aminotransferase (AST/GOT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT/GPT), total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose, creatinine and urea levels, and total protein content. Results showed significant alterations in AST, LDH, glucose and urea levels, and total protein content, as well as important tissue alterations in the liver, kidneys and lungs. It could be concluded that, even using sublethal doses of venom, there were significant changes in almost all the tested biochemical parameters as well as tissue alterations in the kidneys and lungs.

KEY WORDS: Bothrops jararacussu, snake venoms, sublethal doses, in vivo studies, biochemical parameters, histopathological alterations.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ANA LÚCIA BERTARELLO ZENI, Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua Antônio da Veiga, 140, 89012-900, Blumenau, SC, Brasil. Phone: 55 21 47 3321 0272. E-mail: anazeni@furb.br.