Isolation of the Neurotoxic Component of the Venom of the Sea Snake, Enhydrina schistosa

Abstract

THE sea snake, Enhydrina schistosa, is widely distributed in the coastal regions of the Far East and many fatalities from its bite are reported¹. The LD50 of the venom for a wide variety of laboratory mammals is in the region of 50–100 (μgm./kgm. body-weight. On this basis it is four times as toxic as the venom of cobra. Venom yields per bite of up to 55 mgm. of dried venom have been obtained from captive snakes. If humans are of equal susceptibility to laboratory animals, up to 15 LD50 for humans may be expected from one bite. At present there is no supply of antivenom available for treatment, and it is doubtful if the titres obtainable by even the best available preparative methods would be sufficient to allow the antivenom being administered in a life-saving dose. The separation of the neurotoxic component of this venom is important from the point of view of analysing its biochemical actions and enhancing its antigenic properties.