Toxic effect of Non-Poisonous Snake Plasma on Various Animal Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract

According to the test of the plasma from 265 non-poisonous common snakes of Korea, the plasma showed strong toxic effect on vanous animal cells, and IC inoculation of the plasma into mice showed lethal effec t. 1) The snake plasma induced strong hemolysis of chick, human, mouse, rabbit and sheep RBC up to dilution of 1:100. 2) The hemolytic ability of the plasma was completely destroyed by heating at 51°C for 30 mmutes. The cytotoxic effect on various tissue culture cells was completely destroyed by heating at 47°C for 30 minutes. 3) This toxic substance was seen neither an enzyme nor an exotoxin-like substance. The plasma treated with ethyl ether lost the toxicity completely. 4) Intracerebral inoculation of the snake plasma into mice showed imm려iate lethal action.