Search for relationships among the hemolytic, phospholipolytic, and neurotoxic activities of snake venoms

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RESUMO

Several snake venom neurotoxins are larger and more complex than the well-studied group of postsynaptic toxins exemplified by α-bungarotoxin. Several of these, exemplified by β-bungarotoxin, show phospholipase A2 activity (phosphatide 2-acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.4) when tested in the presence of detergents. The high hemolytic activity of crotoxin, the neurotoxin of Crotalus durissus terrificus, in the presence of lecithin has been attributed to this activity. The phospholipase A2 activity of several snake venom proteins has now been compared under the physiological conditions of the hemolysis tests.

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