MySheen

What is the nature of snake venom?

Published: 2024-11-22 Author: mysheen
Last Updated: 2024/11/22, Snake venom is a kind of toxic proteins and peptides secreted by poisonous snakes, which contains a variety of enzymes, and it is also a substance that causes toxic reactions after poisonous snakes bite people. Fresh snake venom is a slightly fishy egg white-like sticky liquid, yellow, light yellow, green, or even colorless. It is neutral or weakly acidic when fresh, and can become alkaline after a little longer, with a water content of 50%-75% and a specific gravity of 1.030-1.080. Fresh venom is easy to foam when it comes into contact with air, and it is easy to deteriorate and lose when placed at room temperature for 24 hours.

Snake venom is a kind of toxic proteins and peptides secreted by poisonous snakes, which contains a variety of enzymes, and it is also a substance that causes toxic reactions after poisonous snakes bite people. Fresh snake venom is a slightly fishy egg white-like sticky liquid, yellow, light yellow, green, or even colorless. It is neutral or weakly acidic when fresh, and can become alkaline after a little longer, with a water content of 50%-75% and a specific gravity of 1.030-1.080. Fresh venom is easy to produce foam when it comes into contact with air, and it is easy to deteriorate and lose its toxicity when placed at room temperature for 24 hours. The venom can be kept in refrigerator for 15 ~ 30 days and stored at 40 ℃ for a long time. Snake venom after vacuum drying or freeze-drying can be stored at room temperature for 20 ~ 30 years, but the toxicity intensity and the activity of some enzymes will decrease in different degrees, and it can still dissolve in the presence of water. The toxicity of the snake disappeared after ultraviolet radiation and heating. On the contrary, strong acids, strong bases and heavy metal salts that can denaturalize protein precipitation can destroy snake venom. Snake venom is also easy to be decomposed and destroyed by oxidants, reductants and proteolytic enzymes, thus losing its virulence. Formaldehyde treatment can also lose its toxicity, but the antigen can still be retained.

 
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