Potential Utilization of a Polysaccharide from the Marine Algae Gayralia oxysperma , as an Antivenom for Viperidae Snakebites

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 16; no. 11; p. 412
• Main Authors: da Silva, Ana Cláudia Rodrigues, Duarte, Maria Eugenia Rabello, Noseda, Miguel Daniel, Ferreira, Luciana Garcia, Cassolato, Juliana Emanuela Fogari, Sanchez, Eladio Flores, Fuly, Andre Lopes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27-10-2018; MDPI
• Subjects: Algae; Amputation; Animals; Antivenins - isolation & purification; Antivenins - pharmacology; Antivenins - therapeutic use; Antivenom; Aquatic Organisms - chemistry; Biocompatibility; Blood Coagulation - drug effects; Bothrops; Bothrops jararaca; Chlorophyta - chemistry; Coagulation; Crotalid Venoms - antagonists & inhibitors; Crotalid Venoms - pharmacology; Cytotoxicity; Deformation effects; Deoxy Sugars - isolation & purification; Deoxy Sugars - pharmacology; Deoxy Sugars - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; Gayralia oxysperma; green marine alga; Haemorrhage; Hemolysis - drug effects; Hemorrhage; Humans; In vivo methods and tests; Injection; Lachesis muta; Mannans - isolation & purification; Mannans - pharmacology; Mannans - therapeutic use; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; neutralization; Plant resistance; Plasma; polysaccharide; Polysaccharides; Proteolysis; Snake bites; Snake Bites - blood; Snake Bites - drug therapy; snake venom; Toxicity testing; Venom; polysaccharide; Bothrops jararaca; Lachesis muta; antivenom; green marine alga; neutralization; snake venom; Gayralia oxysperma
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md16110412

Worldwide, snakebites have serious implications for human health. The administration of antivenom is the official treatment used to reverse the toxic activities of envenomation. However, this therapy is not efficient to treat the local effects, leading to the amputation or deformity of affected limbs. As such, alternative treatments are needed. Here, we analyze the ability of a polysaccharide from the green marine alga
(Go3) to inhibit the effects of venom from
and
.
or
venoms were incubated together with sulfated heterorhamnans from Go3, and the in vitro (coagulation, proteolytic, and hemolytic) and in vivo (hemorrhagic, myotoxic, edematogenic, and lethal) activities of venoms were assessed. Additionally, Go3 was injected before and after the injection of venoms, and the toxic activities were further tested. When incubated with the venoms, Go3 inhibited all activities, though results varied with different potencies. Moreover, Go3 neutralized hemorrhagic, myotoxic, and edematogenic activities when injected before or after injection with
and
venom. Go3 also blocked the coagulation of plasma in mice caused by the venoms in an ex vivo test. Therefore, Go3 has the potential to be used as antivenom for
and
bites, notably exhibiting higher efficacy on
venom.