Simplifying traditional approaches for accessible analysis of snake venom enzymes.

Snake venoms enzymes affect diverse physiological mechanisms leading to effects such as inflammation, edema, hemolysis, and blood clotting disorders. In this report, we describe modifications to classical assays for assessing the enzymatic activity of snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and phosphodiesterase (PDE), including the adaptation of the PDE assay to an agar plate. A final staining step, using Stains-all®, was added to the PLA2 activity assay on an egg yolk-containing agar plate. Moreover, PDE activity was successfully and qualitative assed using an agar plate-immobilized bis-p-nitrophenyl-phosphate. The modified methods introduced in this study improve accessibility for a broader spectrum of researchers, enabling venom-related investigations in any laboratory setting, with special relevance for regions where snakebites are most prevalent.