Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Kuei-Lin Liu
Faculty of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
Ya-Han Yang
School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
David Hung-Tsang Yen
Emergency Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
Ju-Sing Fan
Emergency Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
Protobothrops mucrosquamatus poses a serious medical threat to humans in Southern and Southeastern Asia. Hemorrhage is one of the conspicuous toxicities related to the pathology of P. mucrosquamatus envenoming. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies showed that a silica-derived reagent, sodium silicate complex (SSC), was able to neutralize hemorrhagic and proteolytic activities induced by pit viper venoms, including Crotalus atrox, Agkistrodoncontortrix contortrix and Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma. In this study, we validated that SSC could neutralize enzymatic and toxic effects caused by the venom of P. mucrosquamatus. We found that SSC inhibited the hemolytic and proteolytic activities induced by P. mucrosquamatus venom in vitro. In addition, we demonstrated that SSC could block intradermal hemorrhage caused by P. mucrosquamatus venom in a mouse model. Finally, SSC could neutralize lethal effects of P. mucrosquamatus venom in the mice. Therefore, SSC is a candidate for further development as a potential onsite first-aid treatment for P. mucrosquamatus envenoming.
