Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the toxicological effects of Echis pyramidum crude venom and its purified protein fractions in male mice. The crude venom was fractionated and purified into eight fractions by 8% preparative native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The mice were injected interaperitoneally with 50% of the lethal dose of crude venom and its purified fractions to keep 50% population of the injected animals alive to observe the different changes in the blood parameters. A significant increase was in plasma ALT level in animals injected with crude venom and fractions F1, F6 as compared to control group. A significant increase was in plasma AST level by crude venom and fraction F7. Glucose level increased significantly with crude venom whereas decreased significantly by fractions F4 and F5. There was up to 50% decrease in total plasma protein with crude venom and less than 50% decrease with fraction F7. Low plasma cholesterol levels were observed in group injected with crude venom and fraction F7. While fractions F2, F3 and F6 caused significant increase in plasma cholesterol level. Fraction F1 caused significant decrease in plasma triglyceride level whereas there was significant increase by crude venom. Blood urea level was significantly increased by crude venom fractions F2, F3 and F6. The significant increase in plasma creatinine level was produced by crude venom and fractions F1, F5, F7 and F8. Crude venom and fractions F1, F3, F5, F6 and F7 showed significant increase in uric acid level. The results of this study propose that E. pyramidum crude venom and its purified protein fractions exhibited potent toxic effects on some biochemical markers in male mice.