Biomaterial Database

Actions of cardiotoxins from the southern Chinese cobra (Naja naja atra) on rat cardiac tissue. 1986

J J Sun, and M J Walker

The cardiotoxic actions of southern Chinese cobra (Naja naja atra) venom have been investigated. Cardiotoxicity accounted for lethality of crude venom in anaesthetized rats and cardiotoxic polypeptides constituted the bulk of the venom when it was fractionated by CM-Sephadex chromatography. The cardiotoxic actions of these polypeptides were investigated in isolated cardiac tissue. Actions of cardiotoxins on rate, force and intracellular potentials occurred more readily in ventricular tissue and were reversible in all cardiac tissues. Bolus injections of cardiotoxins to perfused rat hearts produced profound changes in intracellular potentials, but such changes were reversed by 10 min after toxin wash-out. The changes included depolarization and loss of the fast phase (0) of the action potential. The loss of beating and contracture produced by cardiotoxins in isolated atria and ventricles showed such marked tachyphylaxis that toxicity was lost after 2-5 exposures. Both calcium and heparin ameliorated the cardiotoxic actions of cardiotoxins. Since the actions of cardiotoxin were partially selective for ventricular tissue, reversible, demonstrated tachyphylaxis and could be prevented, it is suggested that a specific molecular mechanism may be involved, rather than a non-specific action such as cell membrane destruction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008297	Male		Males
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002852	Chromatography, Ion Exchange	Separation technique in which the stationary phase consists of ion exchange resins. The resins contain loosely held small ions that easily exchange places with other small ions of like charge present in solutions washed over the resins.	Chromatography, Ion-Exchange,Ion-Exchange Chromatography,Chromatographies, Ion Exchange,Chromatographies, Ion-Exchange,Ion Exchange Chromatographies,Ion Exchange Chromatography,Ion-Exchange Chromatographies
D004179	Cobra Cardiotoxin Proteins	Most abundant proteins in COBRA venom; basic polypeptides of 57 to 62 amino acids with four disulfide bonds and a molecular weight of less than 7000; causes skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction, interferes with neuromuscular and ganglionic transmission, depolarizes nerve, muscle and blood cell membranes, thus causing hemolysis.	Cobra Cardiotoxin,Direct Lytic Factors,Cardiotoxin I,Cardiotoxin II,Cardiotoxin VII 4,Cardiotoxin VII2,Cardiotoxin-Like Basic Polypeptide,Cardiotoxins, Elapid,Cobra Cytotoxin Proteins,Cobra Toxin Gamma,Cobra Venom Cardiotoxin D,Cytotoxin-Like Basic Protein (Cobra Venom),Basic Polypeptide, Cardiotoxin-Like,Cardiotoxin Like Basic Polypeptide,Cardiotoxin Proteins, Cobra,Cardiotoxin, Cobra,Cytotoxin Proteins, Cobra,Elapid Cardiotoxins,Lytic Factors, Direct,Polypeptide, Cardiotoxin-Like Basic,Toxin Gamma, Cobra
D004546	Elapid Venoms	Venoms from snakes of the family Elapidae, including cobras, kraits, mambas, coral, tiger, and Australian snakes. The venoms contain polypeptide toxins of various kinds, cytolytic, hemolytic, and neurotoxic factors, but fewer enzymes than viper or crotalid venoms. Many of the toxins have been characterized.	Cobra Venoms,Elapidae Venom,Elapidae Venoms,Naja Venoms,Cobra Venom,Elapid Venom,Hydrophid Venom,Hydrophid Venoms,King Cobra Venom,Naja Venom,Ophiophagus hannah Venom,Sea Snake Venom,Sea Snake Venoms,Venom, Cobra,Venom, Elapid,Venom, Elapidae,Venom, Hydrophid,Venom, King Cobra,Venom, Naja,Venom, Ophiophagus hannah,Venom, Sea Snake,Venoms, Cobra,Venoms, Elapid,Venoms, Elapidae,Venoms, Hydrophid,Venoms, Naja,Venoms, Sea Snake