Effect of the Venoms of Two Viperid Snakes, the Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and the Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), on the Liver and Kidney of the Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

James M. Green, Harold Heatwole, Betty Black, Naomie Poran

Abstract


Injection of venom into bullfrogs caused a loss if integrity of the epithelium of Bowman’s capsules and of the capillaries of the glomeruli in the kidneys. The kidney tubules were unaffected. Cottonmouth venom had a more severe effect on the kidney than did copperhead venom. Venom of neither snake caused any in vivo effect on the livers of bullfrogs. However, liver slices cultured in vitro with cottonmouth venom showed deterioration of the nuclei above the levels of autolysis in controls. The extent of denucleation was proportional to venom dose. Cottonmouth venom had a greater effect on the nuclei of liver slices than did copperhead venom.

Keywords


venom; Agkistrodon; cottonmouth; copperhead; bullfrog; Rana catesbeiana; liver; kidney; nuclei; cytolysis

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2004-11-1-21-29

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