2599. Crotoxin

Nomenclature

CAS number: 9007-40-3
Neurotoxin.

Description and references

One of the toxic principles isolated from rattlesnake venom: Slotta, Fraenkel-Conrat, Ber. 71, 1076 (1938). A polypeptide complex of probably two components, one acidic and one basic, having mol wts of ≈9000 and 12,000 resp. The subunits do not retain the toxicity of crotoxin but show synergistic action in combination: Hendon, Fraenkel-Conrat, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 68, 1560 (1971). Amino acid analyses and fractionation studies: Fraenkel-Conrat, Singer, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 60, 64 (1956); Rübsamen et al., Arch. Pharmacol. 270, 274 (1971); Horst et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 46, 1042 (1972). Review of early chemical studies: Fraenkel-Conrat, Singer, Publ. Am. Assoc. Advan. Sci. 44, 259 (1956). Monograph: Behringwerk-Mitteilungen Sonderband, Die Giftschlangen der Erde (N. G. Elwert, Marburg, 1963) 464 pp. Pharmacology: Brazil, Excell, J. Physiol. (London) 212, 34P (1970); Brazil et al., ibid. 234, 63P (1973); Habermann et al., Arch. Pharmacol. 273, 313 (1972). See also Crotamine.

Caution

When injected by snake bite, local pain, redness, hemorrhage and necrosis result. Systemic effects are dizziness, sensory and motor depression, collapse, shock. May be fatal. Antidote: Rattlesnake antivenin.