Viper venoms and coumarin-induced prothrombin. A comparison of several one-stage methods employing three different venoms as thromboplastins.

Three venoms obtained from three vipers, namely Echis carinatus, Notechis scutatus scutatus and Oxyuranus scutellatus, have been used as thromboplastin in a one-stage assay of coumarin-induced prothrombin. Regardless of the venom used, prothrombin resulted to be low in coumarin-treated patients. The mean values obtained were 27.2, 33.6, and 24.2%, respectively. These values were comparable to those obtained by means of the classical one-stage method (24.8%). A good correlation was observed among the different methods. However, the levels observed using the Notechis scutatus scutatus venom method were slightly higher as compared to those obtained by means of the other viper venoms and by means of the classical one-stage method. The three viper venoms used seem unable to activate coumarin-induced prothrombin. The levels obtained were in fact, in each instance, definitely lower than those observed immunologically. Methods which employ these viper venoms may be used in the evaluation of prothrombin in coumarin-treated patients.