Heat Stable Protein with Anticoagulant and Smooth Muscle Contractile Actions Isolated from Habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis) Venom

Abstract

The biological activity of a Habu (Trimeresurus flavoiridis) venom fraction with drug-metabolizing enzyme inhibitory action was studied. The venom fraction, which was isolated through Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and cation exchange chromatography on Amberlite CG50, caused an increase of vascular permeability and hemorrhage, but these actions were lost after heating at 70°C for 5 min. The fraction showed anticoagulant activity on citrated blood, and this activity remained after heating of the venom. Guinea pig ileum was contracted by treatment with nonheated or heated venom fraction, and these contractions were inhibited with atropine and potentiated with physostigmine. These results suggest that the drug-metabolizing enzyme inhibitor isolated from Habu venom involves the heat stable component with anticoagulant activity and smooth muscle contractile action.