Effects of Cobra Venom on the Fujinami Rat Sarcoma

Abstract

a simple and possibly a successful method to treat and control this serious epidemic disease. Before applying this method to clinical trial here in China, we have endeavored to study its effectiveness in experimental infections, So far, the results obtained seem to indicate that with the dose employed, a significant protection has been obtained by means of this immune horse serum. The exact dosage and the possible therapeutic use of the serum after the appearance of the fever are subjects now under study.Calmettel has reported that the injection of cobra venom into a mouse carcinoma brought about a very rapid disappearance of the tumor, and he suggested that cobra venom might be of value in the treatment of other tumors. Monaelesser and Taguet2 injected cobra venom into the carcinomas of man, and they reported encouraging results.Our experiments were performed for the purpose of determining the effect of cobra venom when injected into the Fujinami rat sarcoma. The minimum lethal dose of cobra venom for white rats, weighing from 150 to 250 gm. each, was found to be one cc. of a 1:10,000 dilution. The solutions of cobra venom used were prepared according to the following technic described by Calmette. A 10% solution of desiccated cobra venom in normal saline was prepared and heated at 72°C. for 30 minutes. The solution, including the precipitate which was formed, was then centrifuged, and the clear portion was placed in ampoules and kept as a stock solution.Five rats were inoculated with bits of the Fujinami rat sarcoma which reached an average size of 0.5 x 0.5 x 1 cm. in Series 1.ICalmette, A., C. R. de E'acad. de Sc., 1933, 197, 205.

Snake Venoms in Cancer Therapy: Past, Present and Future

“…However, after 6 successive weeks, cancer progresses between the experimental and control groups were similar [ 12 ]. Kurotchkin et al discovered that cobra venom could destroy cells of the Fujinami rat sarcoma, which seemed to require direct contact between the venom and tumor cells [ 13 ]. Ligneris et al showed that African snake venoms had no effect on the great majority of tumors in humans [ 14 ].…”

Malaysian Cobra Venom: A Potential Source of Anti-Cancer Therapeutic Agents

“…The idea of utilizing snake venom as an important source of therapeutic agents and focusing on its anticancer properties has been extensively reviewed [ 23 , 24 , 42 ]. The investigation of snake venom’s effects on cancers can be traced back as early as the 1930s [ 43 , 44 ]. Since then, various snake venom proteins—most notably, LAAO, PLA 2 , SVMP/disintegrins, and snake venom C-type lectins (SNACLEC)—have been isolated and characterized for their activity as potential anticancer agents.…”