Editorial - (2021) Volume 7, Issue 6
Department of Biotechnology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Received Date: June 05, 2021; Accepted Date: June 10, 2021; Published Date: June 15, 2021
Citation: Thirunahari A (2021) The Lethal Dose (LD50) of Venom from Four Different Poisonous Snakes Found in Pakistan was Determined. Biochem Mol Biol Vol. 7, No. 6: 26.
Pakistan is a rich breeding ground for venomous and deadly snakes. Not only in Pakistan, but around the world, envenoming fatalities and snake bite cases are on the rise. Nearly 40,000 snake bite incidents and 8000 fatal cases have been reported in Pakistan. By creating anti-snake venom serum, this high-risk condition can be addressed with an easily available and economical medication. The LD50 (50 percent Lethal Dose) of venom is the most important measure for determining the toxicity and lethality of venom collected from Pakistan's four dangerous snakes. The major goal of this work is to determine the LD50 of waste to develop extremely potent and cost-effective anti-snake venom serum.
The venom was extracted from four different snake species found in the Biological Production Division of the National Institute of Health in Pakistan: Echis carinatus, Vipera russelli, Bungares caeruleus, and Naja naja (Cobra). In the Bacteriology section of the Quality Control Laboratory, National Institute of Health, four to five successive dilutions were injected intravenously into the mice tail and observations were recorded to compute the LD50 of each species using the Reed and Munch technique
The neutralising dose of Anti-snake venom serum used to calculate ED50 of each batch/lot of anti-snake venom serum is therefore 3 to 5 fold LD50 (as per WHO). In intravenous injection of dilution, the LD50 of Naja Naja (Cobra) is around 6 to 7 g/dose, Echis carinatus (Saw Scaled Viper) is 11 to 12 g/dose, Vipera russelli (Russel viper) is 5 to 6 g/dose, and Bungares caeruleus (Krait) is 4 to 5 g/dose.
Every year, almost 5.4 million people are bitten by venomous snakes, 2.5 million are envenomated, and over 125,000 people die. South Asia is the most afflicted region in terms of the worldwide burden of snake bite incidences (morbidity and fatality). With 35,000–50,000 deaths per year, India has the highest death rate. 40,000 snake bites and 8000 fatal cases are recorded annually in Pakistan, 1,000 deaths are reported annually in Nepal and roughly 33,000 snake bite victims are reported annually in Sri Lanka. The death rate is close to 20%. Snakes are cold-blooded creatures that cause a large number of human deaths as a result of their envenoming ability.
Nearly 3000 snake species may be found all over the world, with roughly 600 of them being venomous. Through their fangs, these snakes inject modified saliva (venom) carrying toxins into their prey's body, causing bleeding, muscular paralysis, and tissue damage (necrosis) around the bite site. The determination of snake venom median lethal doses (LD50) is a critical step in determining the toxic activity of certain venom. It is also used to pick the appropriate anti-venom batch and determine the neutralising capacity of each vial. Venom lethality is measured by the median lethal dose, according to the World Health Organization (LD50).
The LD50 number is the amount of a material (or venom) that causes 50% of injected mice to die. Meier and Theakston determined the LD50 for snake venom in mice for the first time in 1986. According to their research, the approximate LD50 for the Naja naja snake in mice was found to be 0.05 g/g body weight. The ability of anti-snake venom serum to neutralise the LD50 of snake venom is a measure of its potency. The toxicity of venom is measured in terms of the LD50. This LD50 was also useful in determining the effective titer of the anti-snake venom serum as well as the median effective dose (ED50). The median effective dosage is the smallest quantity of anti-snake venom serum required to neutralise and protect 50% of the injected mice.
The current study is centred on estimating the LD50 of venom from numerous poisonous snakes found in Pakistan and comparing it to the LD50 of other venomous snakes. The findings of this research will help Pakistan build a highly effective and cost-effective antisnake venom serum.
According to WHO recommendations, the LD50 was determined using the Reed and Munch method. By watching and calculating cumulative survival/death, proportionate of difference in dilution factor, and mortality rate, the calculation is completed. The standardised LD50 of venom is required for antivenom neutralisation, i.e., determining the potency of each manufactured batch. The research was carried out on the four venomous snakes present in Pakistan. Echis carinatus is a species of echis (Saw Scaled Viper) Bungares caeruleus is a blue-hued bird (Sung Choor, Krait) Russell's viper (Dobia russuii) Vipera russelli Naja naja naja (Cobra or Sheesh Nag or Kala Nag)
Each dilution was injected into a set of eight mice weighing 18 to 20 g, both male and female. The venom was administered intravenously in the tail. Reed and Munch computed the LD50 based on the findings made after 24 hours after inoculation.
