Flachsenberger W, Mirtschin P
Department of Physiology, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Toxicon. 1994 Jan;32(1):35-9. doi: 10.1016/0041-0101(94)90019-1.
The purpose of this study was to find an antidote against death adder envenomation that can be used in cases of emergency, when antivenoms are not readily available (Papua New Guinea and the Australian outback). Such an antidote should allow bite victims to survive until established treatment is possible. Death adder venom is thought to act postsynaptically at the neuromuscular junction to reduce responses to acetylcholine. This causes severe flaccid paralysis and finally death, which is usually a consequence of respiratory failure. Albino Wistar rats were injected with a lethal dose of crude death adder venom. At the onset of severe envenomation symptoms, anticholinesterases (neostigmine and edrophonium) in conjunction with atropine sulfate were administered. At the minimum lethal dose (0.15 mg/kg) all animals survived as a result of the anticholinesterase treatment. The expected survival time of animals subjected to higher venom doses was significantly extended. These results indicate that death adder bite victims may gain valuable time, if anticholinesterases can be administered during the initial critical stage of envenomation.
本研究的目的是找到一种可用于紧急情况（抗蛇毒血清不易获取时，如巴布亚新几内亚和澳大利亚内陆地区）的抗死亡蝰蛇毒解药。这种解药应能使咬伤受害者存活至可以进行既定治疗之时。死亡蝰蛇毒液被认为在神经肌肉接头处作用于突触后，以降低对乙酰胆碱的反应。这会导致严重的弛缓性麻痹并最终导致死亡，死亡通常是呼吸衰竭的结果。给白化Wistar大鼠注射致死剂量的粗制死亡蝰蛇毒液。在出现严重中毒症状时，给予抗胆碱酯酶药物（新斯的明和依酚氯铵）并联合硫酸阿托品。在最小致死剂量（0.15毫克/千克）下，所有动物因抗胆碱酯酶治疗而存活。接受更高毒液剂量的动物的预期存活时间显著延长。这些结果表明，如果在中毒的初始关键阶段能够给予抗胆碱酯酶药物，死亡蝰蛇咬伤的受害者可能会赢得宝贵的时间。
