Effect of a metalloproteinase (platelet aggregation inhibitor, disintegrin like) from Cerastes cerastes on male albino rats.

Abstract

Several snake venom proteins inhibit platelet aggregation; some of these are enzymati c, whi l e others are non en zy matic .

A metall oproteinase (64 KD) was i sol ated from Cerasf es cerastes venom in the Resea rch Unit of Natura l Toxin ( Bassyouni M.A., Thesis submitted to Biochemi stry department, Faculty of Medi ci n e, A i n Shams University, 2000).

Th i s compound was found to be a ca l cium dependa nt meta ll oproteinase that can inhibit platel et aggregation in a dose dependa nt manner. It could inhibit platelet aggregation induced by various agonists such as ADP, coll agen a nd thrombin .

Further studi es a re needed to further pu ri fy thi s compo und or find a nother sm a ll er compound and see its' e rlecl o n expe rime nta l rat s.

In this work, it is our intention to puri fy and study th e biochemical and histopathological effects of the purified compound on diffe rent orga ns of the experimental rats.