Studies on hemorrhagic toxins from the venoms of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus, Crotalus ruber ruber, Vipera aspis aspis and Agkistrodon acutus and arginine ester hydrolases from Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus venom

Venom samples were corrected from several poisonous snakes, such as Bungaru s multicinctus Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus, T. gramineus, T, flavoviridis, and Agkistrodon acutus, and stored in a desiccator at room temperature for 25 to 31 years. Then they were compared with fresh venoms as to their biolo gical activities. The characteristic local symptoms produced by the bite of venomous snakes of Crotalidae and Viperidae are hemorrhage, necrosis and m uscular degeneration. Hemorrhagic toxins were purified from Trimeresurus mu crosquamatus, Crotalus ruber ruber, Vipera aspis aspis, and Agkistrodon acu tus venoms and their biological, biochemical, and pathological properties w ere investigated. Arginine ester hydrolases are present in the venoms of Cr otalidae and Viperidae, but are not found in the venoms of Elapidae and Hyd rophiidae. In this paper we describe the enzymatic and biological activitie s of arginine eater hydrolases from a Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus venom.