Effects of 60Co gamma radiation on toxicity and hemorrhagic, myonecrotic, and edema-forming activities of Cerastes cerastes venom.

Antisera are used as effective antidotes against the local effects of snake bites. To improve antisera production and extend the life of surrogates used to produce antibodies, the chronic effects of venom toxicity must be reduced. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of gamma irradiation to reduce the local effects associated with viperid snake bites by evaluating in NMRI mice the toxicity and edematic, hemorrhagic, and myonecrotic activities of native and irradiated Cerastes cerastes venoms. These results indicated that the toxicity of irradiated venoms (1 and 2 kGy) decreased as compared with that of native venom. The edematic and hemorrhagic activities were also reduced in the detoxified samples, particularly with the 2-kGy radiation dose. Furthermore, the creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity was significantly increased in the serum and decreased in the myocardium after envenomation with native venom, but no significant enzymatic changes were observed in mice envenomated with irradiated venom. Histopathologic evaluation showed that native venom caused severe degenerative changes in the myocardium. In the case of 2-kGy-irradiated venom, no tissue alterations were observed. These results indicate that irradiation of venom with a 2-kGy dose may offer an effective method for reducing the chronic toxic effects of venom in immunized animals.