Snake Venom and Antivenom Pharmacology

  SNAKE VENOM & ANTIVENOM Chemistry, Composition, Mechanisms and Pharmacology Abstract This integrated teaching session for Phase III MBBS students focused on the pharmacology and toxicology of snake venom and the principles of antivenom therapy. The lecture covered the chemistry, composition, mechanisms of action, and pharmacological effects of snake venoms and antivenoms. Rational use of antivenoms, indications, administration protocols, adverse reactions, and supportive management strategies were discussed. The session also highlighted the translational importance of venom-derived compounds in modern drug development. Recent advances in antivenom research, including recombinant human monoclonal antibodies, toxin-specific inhibitors, synthetic antibody technologies, and next-generation broad-spectrum antivenoms, were reviewed. Current discoveries and emerging approaches aimed at improving efficacy, safety, affordability, and accessibility of antivenom therapy were also explor...

A taste for ants: potential obligate myrmecophagy in Lasaeola (Araneae: Theridiidae)

 


A taste for ants: potential obligate myrmecophagy in Lasaeola (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Abstract

Ant predation (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by the genus Lasaeola Simon, 1881 is a behaviour sporadically reported in the scientific literature and frequently observed in images uploaded to various online platforms. While these scattered observations confirm the existence of this predator-prey interaction, a systematic analysis of these observations has never been undertaken. Here, we present the first formal analysis and compilation of documented cases of myrmecophagy in Lasaeola, providing evidence that obligate ant predation is a likely foraging strategy for this genus.

A taste for ants: potential obligate myrmecophagy in Lasaeola (Araneae: Theridiidae), 
Dentici A & Bianco VFL (2025), Eine Vorliebe für Ameisen: Potentielle obligate Myrmekophagie durch die Gattung Lasaeola (Araneae: Theridiidae), Heft 70, 24-28 10.30963/aramit7005