Snake Venom and Antivenom Pharmacology

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  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...

Testing cohesive selective paths and evaluating loss of evolutionary information while delimiting species of Brazilian wandering spiders

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Testing cohesive selective paths and evaluating loss of evolutionary information while delimiting species of Brazilian wandering spiders

Abstract

Biodiversity is structured in nested Retrospective Reproductive Communities (RRCs) reflecting different levels of information about evolutionary processes. Ranking species involves deciding which level to emphasize, based on a trade-off in information gain and loss. Modeling the selective processes that maintain RRCs along distinct evolutionary paths can inform these trade-offs in species delimitation. We illustrate this approach using the Brazilian wandering spiders (Phoneutria). Integrating genetic markers, geometric morphometrics, color patterns, and environmental data, we applied both established and novel approaches to test divergence through historical natural and sexual selection. We found evidence that selection on ecological niche and ventral abdominal coloration contributed to the formation of four distinct RRCs. Two of these RRCs also showed evidence of a Lock-and-Key mechanism influencing genital morphology evolution. Despite the distinct cohesive forces, gene flow modeling revealed incomplete reproductive isolation, with potential hybrid individuals. We evaluate the implications of lumping versus splitting these lineages and argue that recognizing all four RRCs as distinct species would better preserve evolutionary information and minimize downstream impacts on other research fields such as pharmacology, public health and conservation. Our approach provides a quantitative basis to ponder the implications of choosing between different species hypotheses.

Azevedo, G. H., De Oliveira, U., Santos, F. R., Brescovit, A. D., & Santos, A. J. Testing cohesive selective paths and evaluating loss of evolutionary information while delimiting species of Brazilian wandering spiders. Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpag049