Quantitative studies of local lesions in experimental snake envenomation part 1 studies on composite lesions of muscular tissue caused by venoms of the habu trimeresurus flavoviridis sakishima habu trimeresurus elegans and hime habu trimeresurus okinavensis
Fukami, M.
Snake 10(2): 114-130
1978
Accession: 006245604
A new method for the determination of local composite lesions of muscular tissue (bleeding, swelling, degeneration and necrosis) caused by i.m. injection of venoms of the habu, Sakishima-habu and hime-habu into musculus (m.) vastus lateralis of rabbits was investigated. The composite lesions of muscular tissue reached their peaks 24 h after i.m. injection of the habu venom. The volume of muscular lesions was calculated quantitatively. The swelling ratio of envenomated m. vastus lateralis (left) to that of the healthy one (right) was caluculated. Dose response relationships were recognized between doses of venoms ranging from 15 or 30-120 .mu.g and calculated lesions of the muscle tissues. Healing processes in the myodegeneration and necrosis caused by venoms of the habu and hime-habu were the same as those in wound healing. Especially in the case of severe lesions, a type of secondary healing occurred by marked atrophy of muscle with pronounced fibrosis and fatty infiltration. It is possible to determine quantitatively the healing process of the composite lesions of muscular tissue caused by the venoms.