• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제12권3호
• /
• pp.153-156
• /
• 2006

The antisnake venom activity of Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. (Fam. Verbenaceae), a plant traditionally used in India for the treatment of snake bite was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo methods. While in vitro studies were performed using human blood, in vivo studies were carried out using mice administered three different i.p doses of the extract, 5 min before the administration of Naja naja snake venom. The results of the in vitro studies showed that the extract probably interacts with but does not stabilize membrane protein. In the in vivo studies the extract showed significant antisnake venom activity, which may be attributed to its possible interference with the acetylcholine receptor sites. Hence the present investigation justifies the traditional use of Clerodendrum viscosum (C. viscosum) as antisnake venom.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제37권3호
• /
• pp.330-338
• /
• 2004

Different types of cardiotoxin (I-V and n) were isolated and purified from the venom of the Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra). The effects of these cardiotoxins were studied on membrane-bound acetylcholinesterase, which was isolated from a sheep's brain cortex. The results showed that cardiotoxins I-III, V, and n activated the enzyme by modification of substrate inhibition, but cardiotoxin IV's reaction was different. The inhibition and activation of acetylcholinesterase were linked to the functions of the hydrophobicity index, presence of a cationic cluster, and the accessible arginine residue. Our results indicate that Cardiotoxins have neither a cationic cluster nor an arginine residue in their surface area of loop I; therefore, in contrast to fasciculin, cardiotoxins are attached by loop II to the peripheral site of the enzyme. As a result, fasciculin seems to stabilize nonfunctional conformation, but cardiotoxins seem to stabilize the functional conformation of the enzyme. Based on our experimental and theoretical findings, similar secondary and tertiary structures of cardiotoxins and fasciculin seem to have an opposite function once they interact with acetylcholinesterase.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제59권9호
• /
• pp.20.1-20.9
• /
• 2017

Background: Ribonuclease (RNase) is one of the few toxic proteins that are present constantly in snake venoms of all types. However, to date this RNase is still poorly studied in comparison not only with other toxic proteins of snake venom, but also with the enzymes of RNase group. The objective of this paper was to investigate some properties of RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra Naja atra. Methods: Kinetic methods and gel filtration chromatography were used to investigate RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra. Results: RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra Naja atra has some characteristic properties. This RNase is a thermostable enzyme and has high conformational stability. This is the only acidic enzyme of the RNase A superfamily exhibiting a high catalytic activity in the pH range of 1-4, with $pH_{opt}=2.58{\pm}0.35$. Its activity is considerably reduced with increasing ionic strength of reaction mixture. Venom proteins are separated by gel filtration into four peaks with ribonucleolytic activity, which is abnormally distributed among the isoforms: only a small part of the RNase activity is present in fractions of proteins with molecular weights of 12-15 kDa and more than 30 kDa, but most of the enzyme activity is detected in fractions of polypeptides, having molecular weights of less than 9 kDa, that is unexpected. Conclusions: RNase from the venom of Vietnam cobra is a unique member of RNase A superfamily according to its acidic optimum pH ($pH_{opt}=2.58{\pm}0.35$) and extremely low molecular weights of its major isoforms (approximately 8.95 kDa for RNase III and 5.93 kDa for RNase IV).

• 한국식품과학회지
• /
• 제45권4호
• /
• pp.451-459
• /
• 2013

국내 주요 산지 9개소(전북 고창, 순창, 정읍, 전남 함평, 강원도 횡성, 충남 당진, 충남 논산, 경남 거창, 전남 곡성)에서 생산된 복분자와 전국에서 시판되는 24종의 복분자주를 수거하여 이화학적 특성을 분석하였다. 전반적으로 각 지역별 복분자와 시판 복분자주의 이화학적 특성에서 차이가 크게 나타났다. 특히 당도와 총산도, L값, b값, Hue, Intensity와 같이 색상관련 항목과 총 페놀성 화합물 함량(phenolic), 유기산 함량에서 시료간의 차이가 컸다. 일반적으로 음료 및 주류로의 제품화에서 주요 항목인 총 산도, Brix, 환원당에서 정읍(naja) 시료가 다른 지역의 복분자에 비해 높게 나타났다. 반면 곡성(woori)과 논산(neulso) 시료의 경우 색상 진하기 정도인 Intensity, 총 페놀성 화합물 함량, 유기산 수준에서 다른 시료에 비해 현저히 낮은 수준을 보여 착색이 부족한 것으로 나타나 향후 품종 개량이나 재배 환경 최적화가 필요할 것으로 여겨진다. 현재 복분자 품종에 대한 정확한 조사 및 관리가 명확하지 않아 품종이나 지역 간의 비교가 정확히 이루어지지 못 하고 있다. 향후 복분자관련 산업의 활성화를 위해 가장 중요한 원료인 복분자의 품종, 재배지역 및 재배 방법 등에 따른 다양한 이화학적 및 생물학적 특성분석과 데이터베이스화 작업이 필요하리라 사료된다. 복분자주의 경우도 이화학적 특성에서 지역 간의 차이보다 각각 시료간의 차이가 크게 나타나 향후 관능특성 및 소비자 기호도 조사를 통한 좀 더 상세한 연계조사가 필요하리라 여겨진다.