Editorial: venom collection.

Venoms are naturally available biological resources with a huge potential to explore numerous pharmacologically valuable compounds to diagnose and treat human diseases. Therefore, researching venoms is not only beneficial to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for envenomation, but also to explore the clinical potential of a plethora of molecules. This special Collection includes a range of articles that report a variety of research on the development of diagnostic methods for venom detection and toxicity of venoms in various cellular systems.

The Versatility of Serine Proteases from Brazilian Venom: Their Roles in Snakebites and Drug Discovery.

Serine proteases are multifunctional and versatile venom components found in viper snakes, including the species, a widely distributed genus notorious for causing the highest number of snakebites across Latin America. These enzymes, representing a significant fraction of venom proteomes, exhibit a wide range of biological activities that influence blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of serine proteases, with a particular focus on those found in the venom of Brazilian snakes.

Soluble Activin Receptor Type IIB Improves Muscle Regeneration Following Venom-Induced Damage.

Viper bite envenoming often results in prominent skeletal muscle damage. According to our previous studies, the prolonged presence of venom toxins induced extensive muscle damage, which mimicked the outcome of chronic muscle damage often seen in human muscular dystrophies. In the case of chronic muscle damage, two critical processes occur: muscle regeneration is impaired, and fibrosis develops.

Correction: Richards et al. Indian Ornamental Tarantula () Venom Affects Myoblast Function and Causes Skeletal Muscle Damage. 2023, , 2074.

In the original publication [...

Development of squamous cell carcinoma at the bite sites several years following suspected cobra () envenomings.

Introduction: Snakebite envenoming is a multidimensional issue that causes severe functional and life-challenging consequences among rural communities in tropical countries. Current research and treatments are largely focused on the acute effects of envenomation and short-term health outcomes. The knowledge of snakebite-induced long-term consequences is highly limited.

In vitro anticoagulant effects of Bungarus venoms on human plasma which are effectively neutralized by the PLA-inhibitor varespladib.

Bungarus (krait) envenomings are well-known for their life-threatening neurotoxic effects. However, their impact on coagulation remains largely unexplored experimentally or clinically. This study, examined the effect of begins to examine venoms from four Bungarus species-B.

Snakebite-induced reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: Report of three cases.

Envenomings from Russell's viper typically result in local tissue damage and bleeding complications, but the bites from common krait and cobra primarily cause neurotoxic effects. While most symptoms can be treated with appropriate antivenom, additional support is necessary for several snakebite victims to tackle a broad range of unusual complications that they develop following bites. Reversible vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), characterised by the constriction of cerebral arteries, is a rare but serious issue, presenting with severe headaches and, in extreme cases, haemorrhagic/ischaemic stroke.

Pulmonary Thromboembolism following Russell's Viper Bites.

Snakebite envenoming and its resulting complications are serious threats to the health of vulnerable people living in rural areas of developing countries. The knowledge of the heterogeneity of symptoms associated with snakebite envenoming and their management strategies is vital to treat such life-threatening complications to save lives. Russell's viper envenomation induces a diverse range of clinical manifestations from commonly recognised haemotoxic and local effects to several rare conditions that are often not reported.

Reply to Jalink, M.B. Comment on "Senthilkumaran et al. Bilateral Simultaneous Optic Neuritis Following Envenomations by Indian Cobra and Common Krait. 2022, , 805".

We thank the author for showing interest in our article [...

Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties of Chenopodin-Derived Synthetic Peptides.

Antimicrobial peptides have been developed based on plant-derived molecular scaffolds for the treatment of infectious diseases. Chenopodin is an abundant seed storage protein in quinoa, an Andean plant with high nutritional and therapeutic properties. Here, we used computer- and physicochemical-based strategies and designed four peptides derived from the primary structure of Chenopodin.

Identifying key factors contributing to treatment costs for snakebite envenoming in private tertiary healthcare settings in Tamil Nadu, India.

Background: India suffers ~58,000 annual deaths due to snakebites. The 'Big Four' snakes (Russell's viper, Indian cobra, common krait, and saw-scaled viper) that are responsible for most bites cause diverse clinical effects. Delayed treatment increases the risk of serious complications and treatment costs.

Discovery of a human monoclonal antibody that cross-neutralizes venom phospholipase As from three different snake genera.

Despite the considerable global impact of snakebite envenoming, available treatments remain suboptimal. Here, we report the discovery of a broadly-neutralizing human monoclonal antibody, using a phage display-based cross-panning strategy, capable of reducing the cytotoxic effects of venom phospholipase As from three different snake genera from different continents. This highlights the potential of utilizing monoclonal antibodies to develop more effective, safer, and globally accessible polyvalent antivenoms that can be widely used to treat snakebite envenoming.

Intramuscular Bleeding and Formation of Microthrombi during Skeletal Muscle Damage Caused by a Snake Venom Metalloprotease and a Cardiotoxin.

The interactions between specific snake venom toxins and muscle constituents are the major cause of severe muscle damage that often result in amputations and subsequent socioeconomic ramifications for snakebite victims and/or their families. Therefore, improving our understanding of venom-induced muscle damage and determining the underlying mechanisms of muscle degeneration/regeneration following snakebites is critical to developing better strategies to tackle this issue. Here, we analysed intramuscular bleeding and thrombosis in muscle injuries induced by two different snake venom toxins (CAMP- metalloprotease (a PIII metalloprotease from the venom of this snake) and a three-finger toxin (CTX, a cardiotoxin from the venom of )).

Partial segmental thrombosis of the corpus cavernosum following Russell's viper bite.

Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is common in rural communities living in tropical regions that often have fragile and/or overwhelmed healthcare systems. The complex scenarios around SBE lead to a high number of deaths, disabilities, and long-term consequences in patients. Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) is one of the most medically important snake species in India, which causes devastating pathological conditions characterised by a wide range of clinical manifestations.

Indian Ornamental Tarantula () Venom Affects Myoblast Function and Causes Skeletal Muscle Damage.

Envenomation by the Indian ornamental tarantula () is medically relevant to humans, both in its native India and worldwide, where they are kept as pets. Muscle-related symptoms such as cramps and pain are commonly reported in humans following envenomation by this species. There is no specific treatment, including antivenom, for its envenomation.

Peripheral Arterial Thrombosis following Russell's Viper Bites.

Envenomings by Russell's viper ( ), a species of high medical importance in India and other Asian countries, commonly result in hemorrhage, coagulopathies, necrosis, and acute kidney injury. Although bleeding complications are frequently reported following viper envenomings, thrombotic events occur rarely (reported only in coronary and carotid arteries) with serious consequences. For the first time, we report three serious cases of peripheral arterial thrombosis following Russell's viper bites and their diagnostic, clinical management, and mechanistic insights.

Ashes to eye: A skilled snake handler's experience with ophthalmic envenomation.

With the continued growth of human populations, rural urbanisation and habitat degradation are on the rise, resulting in the displacement of native wildlife and an increase in human-wildlife conflicts. The presence of human habitation and waste often attracts rodents and thereby, snakes, leading to increased snake sightings in homes. To address this problem, snake handlers, who are volunteers that remove and relocate snakes away from human development areas, are called upon.

Neutrophil-mediated erythrophagocytosis following Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) bite.

Snakebite envenomation is regarded as a high-priority neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organisation, as it results in significant loss of lives and permanent disabilities. Russell's viper is one of the important venomous snakes that causes morbidities, mortalities and disabilities in India. The clinical presentation of Russell's viper envenomation is characterised by local envenoming effects including tissue damage, venom-induced coagulopathy, neurotoxicity, and kidney injury.

The Effectiveness of Antibiotics in Managing Bacterial Infections on Bite Sites following Snakebite Envenomation.

Snakebite envenomation (SBE) is a life-threatening medical emergency with a high mortality rate. Common secondary complications following SBE, such as wound infections, are significant due to their impact on worsening local tissue damage and causing systemic infection. Antivenoms are not effective to treat wound infections following SBE.

Purification of PaTx-II from the Venom of the Australian King Brown Snake and Characterization of Its Antimicrobial and Wound Healing Activities.

Infections caused by multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are a global threat to human health. As venoms are the source of biochemically diverse bioactive proteins and peptides, we investigated the antimicrobial activity and murine skin infection model-based wound healing efficacy of a 13 kDa protein. The active component PaTx-II was isolated from the venom of (Australian King Brown or Mulga Snake).