Diamondback rattlesnake

The venoms of poisonous snakes contain (among other things) a class of enzymes known as phospholipases, enzymes that cause the breakdown of phospholipids. For example, the venoms of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) and the Indian cobra Naja naja) both contain phospholipase Ag, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of fatty acids at the C-2 position of glyc-erophospholipids. 

Weldon, P. J. and Fagre, D. B. (1989). Responses by canids to scent gland secretions of the western diamondback rattlesnake [Crotalus atrox).Journal ofChemical Ecology 15,1589-1604. 

A very satisfactory source of phospholipase A2 is the venom of the snake, Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake). This venom can be obtained in lyophilized form from commercial suppliers such as Miami Ser-pentarium (Miami, FL). Of importance, the lyophilization process does not alter the chemical, physical, or enzymatic characteristics of the original venom obtained from this snake. 

The venom of poisonous snakes contains a class of enzymes known as phospholipases. These enzymes catalyze the breakdown of phospholipids, triglycerides in which one fatty acid has been replaced by a phosphate group. The venom of the eastern dia-mondback rattlesnake contains a phospholipase that hydrolyzes the ester bond at the middle carbon of phospholipids, if the larger of the two breakdown products of this reaction gets into the bloodstream, it dissolves the membranes of red blood cells, causing them to rupture. A bite from the eastern diamondback can lead to death if not treated immediately. 

Another Beecham compound, BRL 13776 (25) has shown antihypertensive properties due to noradrenaline depletion in DOCA rats and renal hypertensive cats.98 Only the medulla/pons region of brain showed significant drops in noradrenaline, in contrast to reserpine. There were no behavioural effects and the compound is being taken to clinical trial. A novel hypotensive peptide, hypotensin, has been isolated from the venom of the Western diamondback rattlesnake.99 It contains approximately 20 amino-acid residues and appears unrelated to the kinins. The hypotensive effect is said to be dose-related after oral administration in normal rats and SHRs and is not consequent upon histamine release. Brief details of a clinical trial of a PGEp analogue (26) are available.100 Eleven of seventeen hypertensives responded with lower blood pressure to oral doses (10-20 pig) of 26. A recent studylOl of the marked antihypertensive properties of the diuretic Indapamide (27)(SE 1520, Servier) in rats and cats shows it to reduce vascular reactivity on chronic dosing. 

Poisonous snakes such as diamondback rattlesnakes are a very real danger to saw palmetto harvesters, as are spiders and scorpions. 

Chiszar, D, Walters, A, Urbaniak, J., Smith, H. M., and Mackessy, S. P., 1999b, Discrimination between envenomated and nonenvenomated prey by Western diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox). Chemosensory consequences of venom, Copeia 1999 640-648. 

Gillingham, J. C., and Clark, D. L., 1981, An analysis of prey searching behavior in the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Behav. Neural Bio. 32 235-240. 

Brock, 0. G., 1980, Predatory Behavior of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus) Field Enclosure and Y-maze Laboratory Studies, Emphasizing Prey Trailing Behavior, unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University. 

The venoms of certain snakes contain enzymes called phospholipases that catalyze the hydrolysis of carboxylic ester bonds of phospholipids. The venom of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adaman-teus) and that of the Indian cobra (Naja naja) both... 

The venom of some poisonous snakes contains a phospholipase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes an ester group of a phosphoglyceride. For example, both the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and the Indian cobra contain a phospholipase that hydrolyzes an ester bond of cephalins, which causes the membranes of red blood cells to rupture. 

Castoe, T.A., Spencer, C.L., and Parkinson, C.L. (2007) Phylogeographic structure and historical demography of the western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox) A perspective on North American desert biogeography. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 42 193-212. 

Bjamason, J. B., and Tu, A. T. (1978). Hemorrhagic toxins from western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) venoms Isolation and characterization of five toxins and the role of zinc in hemorrhagic toxin e. Biochemistry 17 3395-3404. 

ATROXASE-A FIBRINOLYTIC ENZYME ISOLATED FROM THE VENOM OF WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE... 

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