Resumen

PIRELA DE LAS SALAS, Rafael del Carmen; LOPEZ-JONSTHON, Juan Carlos  y  HERNANDEZ RANGEL, Jim Lenrry. Toxinological Characterization of the Whole Venom of the Rattlesnake Crotalus durissus cumanensis (Viperidae) from Porshoure, Venezuelan Guajira. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2006, vol.16, n.3, pp.232-238. ISSN 0798-2259.

The whole venom of the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus cumanensis (Viperidae) from Porshoure, Venezuelan Guajira, was characterized toxinologically in this research, determining: lethal dose 50 (LD₅₀),  bleeding, edematic and hemolytic activity, coagulant activity on human plasma (in vitro) and fibrinolytic  activity, according to the methodologies outlined by the World Health Organization. The results demonstrated that the venom of the studied species is highly toxic, neurotoxic and coagulant. Local effects such as the hemorrhage and edema were not highly marked in comparison with other snakes’ venoms of the same subspecies as Crotalus durissus cumanensis from La Villa del Rosario, Zulia state; Crotalus durissus terrificus from Costa Rica and Crotalus durissus durissus from Brazil; Crotalus durissus terrificus from Colombia and Crotalus durissus ruruima, Crotalus durissus cascavella and Crotalus durissus collilineatus. The venom was slightly hemolytic and with fibrinolytic characteristic (in vivo). This effect has not yet been described within the genus Crotalus, what is a significant addition to the information of diagnosis and treatment of the rattlesnake bites in Venezuela.

Palabras clave : Crotalus durissus cumanensis; Viperidae; Venezuelan guajira; venom; toxinological characterization.