This investigation compared the ability of six Latin American
antivenoms (monovalent antibothropic INS, Santafé de Bogotá; polyvalent INS; polyvalent probiol, Santafé de Bogotá; antibothropic Instituto Butantan, IB, São Paulo, Brazil; polyvalent Instituto Clodomiro Picado, ICP, San José, Costa Rica; polyvalent MYN, Mexico) to neutralize various pharmacological and enzymatic effects of Bothrops atrox
venom from Antioquia and Chocó, north-west of Colombia. Our results demonstrated conspicuous differences in the ability of the six
antivenoms. In terms of neutralization of lethality, the highest efficacy was observed in the polyvalent INS and the lowest in the polyvalent MYN
antivenom. All
antivenoms were highly effective in the neutralization of
hemorrhage, polyvalent INS and probiol being the highest. In the neutralization of
edema-forming activity, the most effective
antivenom was the polyvalent (ICP); monovalent (INS) and polyvalent (MYN) were the least effective. All
antivenoms were effective in the neutralization of the myotoxic activity of B. atrox
venom, the most effective being the polyvalent (INS) and antibothropic (IB). Defibrinating activity was neutralized by all
antivenoms; polyvalent (MYN) showed the lowest efficiency. Polyvalent (ICP)
antivenom had the highest neutralizing ability against the indirect hemolytic effect of B. atrox
venom; polyvalent (MYN) did not neutralize this enzymatic activity. Overall, the polyvalent
antivenom (INS) showed the highest neutralizing ability.