Toxicity of two North American Loxosceles (brown recluse spiders) venoms and their neutralization by antivenoms

• Published in: Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2007-09, Vol.45 (6), p.678-687
• Main Authors: de Roodt, Adolfo Rafael, Estevez-Ramírez, Judith, Litwin, Silvana, Magaña, Penélope, Olvera, Alejandro, Alagón, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Animals; Antivenins - immunology; Antivenins - therapeutic use; Antivenom; Araneae; Biological and medical sciences; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Immunology; Lethal Dose 50; Loxosceles; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Necrosis - prevention & control; Neutralization; Neutralization Tests; North America; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - immunology; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - isolation & purification; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - metabolism; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - toxicity; Rabbits; Skin - drug effects; Skin - pathology; Spider Venoms - enzymology; Spider Venoms - immunology; Spider Venoms - isolation & purification; Spider Venoms - toxicity; Spiders; Spiders - growth & development; Therapeutics; Toxicity; Toxicology; Venom
• ISSN: 1556-3650; 1556-9519
• DOI: 10.1080/15563650701397001

The toxic, biochemical, and immunological characteristics of L. boneti and L. reclusa venoms and its neutralization by anti-L. boneti and anti-L. reclusa antivenoms were studied. The electrophoretic profile showed very similar patterns and the toxic activities were very close. Immunological studies showed cross-reactivity among L. boneti and L. reclusa venoms, with L. boneti and L. reclusa experimental antivenoms, and anti-L. gaucho and anti-L. laeta antivenoms. The venom of L. laeta showed low immunological reactivity with the North American Loxosceles antivenoms. Experimental anti-North American Loxosceles antivenoms protected mice of the systemic toxicity and were able to prevent necrosis in rabbit skin after the injection of the venom. Both antivenoms displayed cross neutralization. The results showed that both Loxosceles venoms have very close toxic, biochemical, and immunological characteristics, and that either monospecific antivenoms or an antivenom raised with L. boneti and L. reclusa venoms as immunogens could be useful for treating bites by North American Loxosceles spiders.