Comparative study of nine Bothrops snake venoms from adult female snakes and their offspring

Venoms of seven different Bothrops species and three subspecies ( B. alternatus, B. cotiara, B. erythromelas, B. jararaca, B. jararacussu, B. moojeni, B. neuwiedi paranaensis, B.n. pauloensis and B.n. urutu) obtained from individual mothers and their young were investigated. Biometrics of snakes and protein content, toxicity ( ld 50), SDS-PAGE, proteolytic and clotting activities of venoms were estimated. Comparison of venoms from female snakes and their respective newborn offspring were variable in protein content, toxicity, fibrinolytic/amidolytic/thrombin-like activities and in venom yield in relation to snake length. B.n. paranaensis and B.n. pauloensis possessed the most toxic venoms. Caseinolytic activity of all venoms from female snakes and procoagulant activity of their offspring were consistently high. Venoms of B. erythromelas mother and offspring had no amidolytic activity and the highest levels of factor X and prothrombin activators without thrombin-like action. In contrast, the venom of newborn B. cotiara possessed the highest thrombin-like activity whereas a B. jararacussu adult female did not possess any procoagulant activity. An extremely high procoagulant activity of the venom of newborn Bothrops specimens was demonstrated.