Hemorrhagic activity of the Duvernoy's gland secretion of the xenodontine colubrid Philodryas patagoniensis from the north-east region of Argentina.

Colubrid snakes belonging to Philodryas genus, widespread all over South America, bring about lesions (swelling, ecchymosis, transient bleeding from the bite site punctures), that are similar to those produced by Bothrops species (yarará). In the present work we began the characterization of Philodryas patagoniensis venom. We examined if this venom produces hemorrhagic lesions as those observed in victims bitten by Philodryas olfersii. Hemorrhagic, proteolytic and fibrinogenolytic activities were evaluated, and histological observations in samples of gastrocnemius muscle were carried out. Inhibition studies were carried out in metal chelator (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) presence. Our results show a small Minimum Hemorrhagic Dose (MHD=0.035 microg) and a high proteolytic activity (143 U/mg), and prove the capacity of this venom to degrade fibrinogen in vitro rendering it unclottable by thrombin, supporting the presence of proteases, principally metalloproteases, in P. patagoniensis venom that are able to alterate the vascular wall and degrade fibrinogen, being both activities responsible of a high hemorrhagic activity.