The paraspecific neutralisation of snake venom induced coagulopathy by antivenoms

• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0039-1
• Publication Date: 2018-04-12T11:03:45Z
• Authors: Stuart Ainsworth; Julien Slagboom; Nessrin Alomran; Davinia Pla; Yasir Alhamdi; Sarah I. King; Fiona M. S. Bolton; José María Gutiérrez; Freek J. Vonk; Cheng-Hock Toh; Juan J. Calvete; Jeroen Kool; Robert A. Harrison; Nicholas R. Casewell
• Keywords: Antivenom; Ophidia

Snake envenoming causes several potentially lethal pathologies. The specific pathology is dictated by the toxin composition of venom, which varies species, geography and ontogeny. This variation severely restricts paraspecific efficacy antivenoms used to treat snakebite victims. With a view devising pathology-specific treatments, we assessed procoagulant activity 57 snake venoms investigated various antivenoms. We find that act differentially on key steps coagulation cascade, certain monospecific work in previously unrecognised manner neutralise this activity, despite conventional assumptions congener-restricted efficacy. Moreover, demonstrate metal chelator EDTA also capable neutralising venom-induced lethality vivo. study illustrates exciting potential developing new, broad-spectrum, toxin-targeting treating pathologies, advocates thorough re-examination enzyme inhibiting compounds as alternative therapies for