INTRODUCTION:

Among the huge number of biologically active substances of animal origin, an important place is given to snake venoms - a group of compounds unique in their chemical nature and physiological effect. The study of snake toxins, as well as the enormous attention to zootoxins, is determined not only by the needs of medical practice. Their study and use is of great interest for various branches of biology, physiology, pharmacology, biophysics, toxicology, biology, medicine and other fields of science.

There have been advances in the diagnosis and treatment of poisoning by snake venoms^1-7, in the study of the chemical composition, pharmacokinetics and metabolism of snake venom^8,9, toxicity^10-15, photo- and thermal stability of snake venom, electrophysical properties of snake venom crystals¹⁶.

Electrophysical properties and photoconductivity of snake venom Vipera lebetina obtusа have been studied. It has been investigated temperature dependence of specific resistance ρ~ f (T) (T) and conductivity s~ f (T) (T) on time. It has been established that snake venom does not possess photoconductivity¹⁶.

Based on the obtained resistivity values, we can say that snake venom crystals behave like semiconductors at temperatures up to 50°C¹⁷.

The degree of influence of environmental factors on the elemental composition of the venom of the Caucasian viper Macrovipera lebetina obtusa has been studied. Despite the existing achievements in the diagnosis and treatment of poisoning by snake venoms, in the study of the chemical composition, their physicochemical properties, toxicity, pharmacokinetics and metabolism of snake venom, general patterns of the influence of environmental factors, heavy metals and including radiation on physicochemical and biophysical characteristics of the poison of the Caucasian viper. The influence of environmental factors on the elemental composition of the venom of the Caucasian viper Macrovipera lebetina obtusa was revealed. Using the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry, the elemental composition of the venom of vipers caught in various regions of Azerbaijan contaminated with technogenic emissions from industrial enterprises was studied. The content of the following metals was determined in the venom of the viper Vipera lebetina obtusa: Cr, Pb, Cd and Zn. As a result of the study, it was revealed that the concentration of heavy metals in snake venom was within the following limits: Pb - 50.1±0.285-133.9±0.033; Cd − 1.6±0.177- 1.9±0.210; Zn − 663.7±0.027 – 860.9±0.129; Cr − 87.0±0.049 mg/kg. The content of heavy metals in snake venom was in direct proportion to their content in the soils of the study area¹⁸.

The radioecological state of the habitation area of Caucasian Macrovipera lebetina obtusa venom was studied. The activity of Ra228, Cs137, K40, Ra226 radionuclides in the composition of the Lebetina viper venom captured in Absheron Peninsula of Azerbaijan was determined at Canberra y-spectrometer. The presence of radioactive elements was revealed in the soil, water and plant samples taken from the capturing area of snakes which testified the effect of the environment on Macrovipera lebetina obtuse venom¹⁹.

The study of the consequences of global anthropogenic pollution of the biosphere and environmental protection are among the most pressing and pressing problems of our time. The increasing production and use of radioactive elements in various industries, agriculture, medicine and biology create the possibility of unintentional, accidental contamination of the biosphere with radioactive products. In industrial production, liquid waste with a relatively low content of radioactive substances can be discharged into closed freshwater evaporation ponds, and sometimes into rivers.

Radioactive products of technogenic origin, arriving on the earth's surface, are included in biochemical and other processes occurring in soils. Radionuclides can accumulate in living organisms in various ways, becoming concentrated as they move through food chains. Radionuclides are transmitted through the biological chain to living organisms, including snakes living in the area.

In connection with the intensive study of snake venom as a source of medicines, which is a raw material for the pharmaceutical industry, the study of the influence of environmental factors on snake venom is of significant interest. Snake venoms are inactivated under the influence of certain physical factors: UV irradiation, X-rays, etc. The variability of snake venoms is largely influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. 7 days after irradiation of Philippine cobra venom with Co60 in doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1 mrad, its toxicity was, respectively, 83, 66 and 43% of non-irradiated venom²⁰.

The paper presents data on the study of the thermoprotective properties of the venom of the Transcaucasian Vipeta (Macrovipera lebetina obtuse) on 120 white mongrel mice subjected to thermal exposure (30 - 50°C) for 30 minutes with the injection of zootoxin in doses (2mg/kg and 4mg/kg). It was found that the lifespan of mice was increased with respect to a series of experiments in which the injection of venoms under the conditions of normothermia was used for 28-30 minutes and 15-20 minutes to 120.0±8.5 and 160.0±19.7 minutes, respectively. It was found that in the posthyperthermic period after a 30-minute thermal exposure (30-50°C) in the control group of animal experiments, a 100% mortality was observed during 24hours, and with the preliminary injection of a venom in the range of doses 2-4mg/kg Survival in 30% - 50% of experimental animals was noted. Thus, the thermoprotective property of the venom of the Transcaucasian vipera has been proved ²¹.

In this paper we studied the trace element composition of venom of Macrovipera lebetina obtusa, captured from different regions of Azerbaijan, differing in degree of contamination of man-made industrial emissions. By the method of atomic absorption spectrometry, metal ions Cr, Pb, Cd and Zn was revealed in samples of vipera venom. It is shown that the metal concentrations in the venom of snakes fluctuate within: Cr – 87.0±0.049 - 103.1±2.793; Pb – 7.01±1.321 – 19.0±1.321; Cd –1.6 ±0.177–2.42±0.985; Zn–300.89±4.266 – 377,6± 8.402mg/kg, and the content of metal of Vipera venom of different regions differ significantly. In this case, all the samples of the venom of Viperas caught from different regions of the Republic, have a certain amount of lead and zinc ions; Cr is present in the venom of samples of snakes of Sabirabad and Agsu and, and Cd was detected in samples of the venom of Vipera of Gobustan and Shamakhi regions. It was revealed that the concentrations of metals in the venom correlate with their content in soils^21-22.

γ– radiospectrometric studies have shown that the venom samples also contain radionuclides as Ra²²⁸, Ra226, K40 and 137 Cs, which are the specific activities of 228 Ra (0.08-0.174 Bq/kg), Ra²²⁶ (0.35-2.48, Bq/kg) K⁴⁰ (1.35-23.4 Bq/kg), Cs¹³⁷ (MDA=0.315, respectively. Analysis of the data shows that the venom of Viperas caught from different regions of the Republic, are almost indistinguishable for the content of radionuclides. Thus K⁴⁰ is present in larger quantities in all samples of venom. All samples of the venom have a lower content of Ra^228,23,
27.

By the method of EPR, electron paramagnetic spectra of venom at different temperatures were studied. EPR spectra of typical venom of vipera was revealed at amount of power at 1.58mVt microwave field and the magnetic field strength in the range of 330 - 340mTl. The revealed hyperfine structure, which is under the given temperature conditions symmetrical singlet with a g-factor of 2.0048, can be applied to identify the venom of vipera and its toxins. Thus, the EPR method opens up broad prospects for qualitative and quantitative determination of the whole venom and its components, as well as the possibility of applying this method in toxicology analysis for identification of snake venom toxins was identified^32-34.

By laser spectroscopy, spectral-luminescent characteristics of venom of Vipera inhabiting different degree of contamination areas of Azerbaijan was investigated. The photoluminescence peaks was identified in a snake venom samples at 520nm and 400-500nm at a temperature of 300K, and the maxima 440 and 470nm at a temperature of 77K, characteristic ions of cadmium, zinc and lead. We can assume that these data can be used in the identification of zootoxins and their metabolites, and these criteria can serve as a theoretical basis for the development of effective methods for diagnosis of poisoning zootoxins^29,31.

Heterojunction monoselenide indium p-type conductivity and crystal viper venom (venom-p-InSe) established and it was found that heterojunction in zootoxins behaves like a p-type semiconductor conductivity. It was found that studied heterojunction has significant photosensitivity in IR spectral range. The results of these studies can extend the range of materials used for the manufacture of photodetectors for the near infrared spectral range, and consider the use of snake venom in the instrument as a photodetector²⁸.

It was established that the radiation dose (up to 1.35 kGy dose) for 3 minutes did not cause structural changes in the samples venom of vipera, but rather contribute to the stabilization of both toxicity and pharmacological activity while increasing the shelf life of aqueous solutions of vipera venom. At high doses (2.7, 4.05 and 5.4 kGy) γ-irradiation for 3 minutes there is a gradual decrease in toxicity (pharmacological activity of enzymes) of snake venom. We recommend that these facts should have been taken into account in the radiation sterilization of snake venom and drugs based on it^24,25.

By Radiothermoluminescence method in the molecular mobility of g - venom irradiated at doses between 2 × 10³ Gy and 10⁴ Gy in air revealed changes.

Study of the influence viper venom irradiated radioactive, electromagnetic radiation and treated at different temperatures, life expectancy of experimental animals have shown that with increasing doses of radiation, the intensity of electromagnetic radiation and the heating temperature of the samples, a decrease toxicity of the venom are observed, which is manifested in the increase in life expectancy experienced groups of mice. Furthermore, g-irradiation followed by heat treatment leads to a significant reduction of toxicity up to complete neutralization of the venom. These facts should be considered in storage and preparation of drugs based on snake venom^26,29,30.

Thus, from the above it follows that in connection with the intensive study of snake venom from an ecological and physiological point of view, the variability of pharmacological activity, physicochemical and biophysical parameters of the venom under the influence of environmental factors is of no small interest. Let us note that the study of toxins of various species of snakes, as well as the great attention to zootoxins, is determined not only by the needs of medical practice, but their study and use is of great interest for various branches of biology, physiology, bioorganic chemistry, biophysics, toxicology and other fields of science.

The importance of the problem is also due to the fact that in the past Azerbaijan occupied a special place in the world market in supplying the poison of the Transcaucasian viper (Macrovipera lebetina obtusa). The insufficient degree of study of the product of synthesis of the poisonous gland of the viper, as a widely inhabited representative of the fauna of Azerbaijan, provides the basis for a more in-depth, comprehensive study of it.

Considering the above, it should be noted that the results of a comprehensive and comprehensive study of the influence of environmental factors on the physicochemical, biophysical and toxicological characteristics of the venom of the Transcaucasian viper can be used as tools for obtaining proteins - toxins with new pharmacological properties. These studies also serve as the basis for the creation of new drugs based on snake venom.

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Received on 26.12.2023 Modified on 16.02.2024

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2024; 14(2):153-156.

DOI: 10.52711/2231-5713.2024.00027