The Improvement Of The Antivenin Of Bothrops Lanceolatus Using Only One Fraction As Antigen

Serum therapy is necessary for poisoning caused by venomous animals and constitutes the most effective intervention. Snakes' venoms can contain substances that influence in the production of neutralizing' antibodies. Studying Bothrops lanceolatus' venom (BL) inoculated in Swiss mice with a dose of 1/2DL(50) (4.8 mu g/g, i.p) 72 hours before immunizing them with sheep erythrocytes (SE at 2%), we found a significant reduction of the antibodies' levels when compared with the control (P < 0.05). After separating BL's venom into fractions (PI, PII, PIII), we identified and excluded the fraction which presented such activity and used the other fractions in immunization schemes using rabbits (1mg/1.25ml, s.c in 5 points on the back). Thus, we obtained in vitro serum with evidence of better reactivity. It suggests that the PII fraction contains one of venom's main immunogenic components.