Cytotoxic activity and abdominal writhes promoted by snake venom from <i>Philodryas nattereri</i> Steindachner, 1870

Abstract

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.