Fangs in the ghats: preclinical insights into the medical importance of endemic pit vipers from the Western Ghats

ABSTRACT: The socioeconomic burden of snakebite in India is largely attributed to the ‘big four’ snakes, completely neglecting the considerable impact of envenoming by many other snake species. Bites from the so-called ‘neglected many’ are often treated with a polyvalent antivenom that is manufactured against the ‘big four’ snakes - a strategy that has been widely documented to fail. Yet, specific antivenoms are not commercially manufactured against these snakes. While the medical importance of various species of cobras, saw-scaled vipers, and kraits is very well-known, the clinical impact of pit vipers from the rainforests of the Western Ghats, northeastern India, and Andaman and Nicobar islands has remained elusive. Amongst the 90+ species of snakes found in the Western Ghats, the hump-nosed (Hypnale hypnale), Malabar (Craspedocephalus malabaricus) and bamboo (Craspedocephalus gramineus) pit vipers can potentially inflict clinically severe envenoming in humans. To evaluate the severity of toxicity inflicted by these snakes, we characterised their venom composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities, and toxicity- and morbidity-inducing potentials. Our findings highlight the therapeutic inadequacies of the generic Indian and Hypnale-specific Sri Lankan polyvalent antivenoms in neutralising morbidity and mortality resulting from pit viper envenomings and underscore the need for a regional antivenom therapy in India.

INSTRUMENT(S): Orbitrap Fusion

ORGANISM(S): Hypnale Hypnale Trimeresurus Gramineus Trimeresurus Malabaricus

TISSUE(S): Venom

SUBMITTER: Kartik Sunagar  

LAB HEAD: Dr. Kartik Sunagar

PROVIDER: PXD039139 | Pride | 2023-07-20

REPOSITORIES: Pride