Enzymatic Activity And Brine Shrimp Lethality Of Venom From The Large Brown Spitting Cobra (Naja Ashei) And Its Neutralization By Antivenom

Abstract Objective There has been little focus on the enzymatic and lethal activities of Naja ashei venom and their neutralization by antivenom. This study aimed to determine the snake venom phospholipase A2/svPLA2 activity and brine shrimp lethality of N. ashei venom and their neutralization by two antivenoms (I and II). The venom of other snakes in East Africa including the puff adder (Bitis arietans), green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps), black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), Egyptian cobra (Naja haje), red spitting cobra (Naja pallida), and the Eastern forest cobra (Naja subfulva) were used for comparison. Results: N. subfulva venom had the highest svPLA2 activity while D. angusticeps venom had the least activity. N. subfulva venom was the most toxic in the 24-hour brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA), while N. ashei venom was the most toxic in the 48 and 72-hour assays. N. haje venom was the least toxic in all assays. One ml of antivenom I neutralized 0.075 µg of svPLA2 in N. ashei venom compared to 0.051 µg by antivenom II. Antivenom I was ineffective in neutralizing N .ashei venom-induced lethality but 1 ml of antivenom II neutralized 0.21 mg of N. ashei venom.