The nephrotoxicity of fractionated components of Aipysurus laevis venom.

Six major venom fractions were obtained when crude Aipysurus laevis (Olive sea snake) venom was fractionated by standard HPLC techniques. Subcutaneous doses of between 9.5-20.3 micrograms venom/kg body weight were injected into male Quackenbush mice, showing that all six fractions of A. laevis venom are nephrotoxic, producing renal lesions within 24 hrs and lasting for up to three months. It is postulated that each fraction contains a nephrotoxic component, suggesting a core or common biochemical structure, the nature of which is to yet to be determined; and those from different fractions may act synergistically. The resulting renal lesions are no different from those seen in our previous whole venom study, but the severity is less and shorter in duration. A significant difference is that after fraction injection, the kidneys returned to normality after two months, with minor segmental glomerulosclerosis being the only remaining stigma of the previous damage. This is contrary to the whole venom-induced tubulo-interstitial nephritis with cystic changes seen after three months of envenomation. All fractions also increase the granularity of the juxtaglomerular cells, for reasons unknown.