HighlightsWe investigated the effect of P. nattereri venom on the isolated perfused kidney.We study the mechanism of cytotoxicity of venom on renal epithelial cells.We demonstrated P. nattereri venom is composed for 86.3% of proteins.The venom of is capable of changing the kidney functional parameters.

Philodryas nattereri is distributed in arid and semiarid regions of South America and is most common in northeastern Brazil. The aims of the work were to investigate the edematogenic and myotoxic effects promoted by P. nattereri venom. In this work, mice weighing 20-30 g (n = 4 for each experimental group) were used. For the edematogenic activity mice were injected in the subplantar region of the right foot pad with 50 μL of solutions containing different amounts of venom (3 and 10 μg) measured by plethysmometry at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hr and pretreated with indomethacin, dexamethasone and antibothropic serum, whereas the left foot pad was injected with 50 μL of NaCl 0.15 M. Two hours after injection mice were killed by cervical dislocation and both feet were cut off and weighed individually. For the myotoxic activity mice were injected i.m. with 100 mL of solutions containing 50 μg of venom. Blood samples were extracted after 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hr of venom injection to determinate serum CK activity and mice were sacrificed at the same time intervals to obtain the inoculated gastrocnemius muscle. They were fixed with formalin solution and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin. Results showed that P. nattereri venom exhibits a high edematogenic and myotoxic activities. Myonecrosis reached its highest level after 2 hr of venom injection as shown by plasmatic CK levels (364 ± 92 U/L) and microscopic assay. It demonstrates the potential toxicity of the venom of P. nattereri, who inhabits the North-East region of Brazil.

Philodryas nattereri is distributed in arid and semiarid regions of South America and is most common in northeastern Brazil. The aims of the work were to investigate the effects of the venom from P. nattereri in cultured of MDCK and RAW cells and abdominal writhes in mice. Based on oxidative metabolism, it was possible to observe that the venom was capable of significantly reducing cell viability only at higher concentrations of venom at 50 and 100 μg/mL for MDCK cells, while in 200 μg/mL to RAW cells, with an IC 50 of 169.5 μg/mL. Regarding writhing in mice promoted by the poison and acetic acid, it held a greater number of writhes when compared to promoted by saline. The venom of P. nattereri has a cytotoxic effect in MDCK and RAW cells and abdominal writhes, which appears to be similar to those caused by acetic acid.