usesofvenom

Beneficial Uses of Elapidae Venom

The alpha-neurotoxins in Elapidae venom have been used to study the autoimmune disorder Erb-Golflam's disease (myasthenia gravis), which is characterized by a deficiency of cholinergic receptors. In this model, alpha-neurotoxins are radioactively labelled and used to follow the anticholinergic receptor antibodies that attack the cholinergic receptors of the neuro-muscular junction (Bauchot, 1997).
Elapidae venom is used as antivenin in instances of Elapid snakebite. Specifically, antivenin developed from Tiger Snake venom will neutralize all venoms from other Australian Snakes, with the exception of the Taipan. Furthermore, neutralization is incomplete against Death Adder venom. In cases of Taipan or Death Adder snake bite, the patient is given Taipan antivenin and Death Adder antivenin respectively (Bucherl et al., 1971).

Home

This page is an assignment for Biology 312, Animal Physiology, and is for educational purposes only.
email me: schutchins@davidson.edu