Antivenom

About Antivenom: 

• Antivenoms, or antivenins, are life-saving medicines used to treat snake bites.
• Antivenoms are the frontline defence. They work by specifically binding to the venom toxins to render them ineffective, allowing the body’s natural defence systems to clear them safely over time.
• How lethal is Snake venom?
  • Snake venom is one of nature’s most lethal weapons, a complex cocktail of toxic proteins.
  • Haemotoxins destroy blood cells and disrupt clotting. Neurotoxins block nerve signals and paralyse. Cytotoxinsdissolve tissue at the bite site. The effects are often fatal without medical intervention.
• Productions of Antivenoms
  • French physician Albert Calmette in the 1890s developed the first antivenom using horses, a practice that continues today.
  • To produce antivenom, healthy and mature venomous snakes are first captured from the wild by trained experts who then “milk” the snakes to extract the venom.
  • Next, they immunise horses with increasing doses of venom over many weeks, allowing their immune systems to produce antibodies. 
  • Over time, the horses develop a robust immune response, producing antibodies that neutralise venom toxins.
  • They are produced by injecting small amounts of venom into animals, usually horses, which then produce antibodies as part of their immune response. These antibodies become antivenoms.
  • The experts extract these antibodies from the horse’s blood and purify and formulate them as antivenoms.
  • The antibodies thus produced are very specific to the type of toxins injected.
• Polyvalent antivenoms (PVAs) currently used in India target multiple species. However, their efficacy varies against less common snakes.
• Issues with Antivenoms in India
  • India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of antivenoms in the world.
  • However, access to timely medical care remains a significant challenge for many Indians.
  • Administration issue: Improper administration and inadequate facilities exacerbate the crisis. Logistical issues, unequal access to care, superstitious beliefs, and cultural practices often delay proper treatment in many parts.
  • Lack of Infrastructure: Antivenoms often need to be transported in cold storage, however, India’s rural parts lack the supporting infrastructure and power supply.
  • The high cost of manufacturing antivenom limits accessibility for the economically-disadvantaged.

Q1: What are the three types of snake poison?

There are three types of venom according to its effect viz. Haemotoxic, Cytotoxic & Neurotoxic. Haemo-toxic venoms are ones which affect the cardiovascular system, Cytotoxic venoms target specific cellular sites and Neuro-toxic venoms harm the nervous system of the human body.

Source: TH