To observe the nephrotoxic effects in acute venom intoxication, biochemical and histopathological studies
were carried out in rat kidney, using the venom of Agkistrodon caliginosus. The rats used were ´adults
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weighing 200^-250 g Thirty-two milligram of freeze dried venom was diluted with 12 ml of normal
saline, and 0.4 ml of this solution was administered intfavenously through the tail vein to each rat.
The rats were sacrificed serially with time intervals of 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, 24 hours, 4 days and 7 days after venom administration. The kidneys were immediately prepared for light and electron microscopy. BIood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were also measured.
The results were as follows:
1. The BUN level was significantly elevated to 49.2_ 19.4mg/dl(p<0. 05) at post-administration 3´hours with venom.
2. The serum level of creatinine was significantly elevated to 1. 30. 6 mg/dl (p <0. 05)´ at post-administration 3 hours with venom.
3. Light microscopic changes in the kidney revealed moderate congestion at corticomedullary junction, associated with telangiectasia of glomerular capillaries, focal and segmental glomerular fibrinoid necrosis and focal glomerulonephritis. Predominant tubular changes were vacuolar degeneration and necrosis epithelium, especially in proximal convoluted tubules of inner cortex and ascending thick limbs of of outer medulla. Regeneration of tubules was evident from 4 days after administration of venom.
4. Electron microscopic changes in the glomeruli revealed vacuolar changes due to swelling of mitochondria in endothelial, epithelial and mesangial cells. In the tubules were seen marked mitochondria) swelling, vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of tubular epithelium were observed mainly in the epithelium of proximal convoluted tubules and ascending thick limbs.
With the above results, it was assumed that nephrotoxicity of venom of Agkistrodon caliginosus was characterized by congestion in corticomedullary junction, focal and segmetal glomerular ´fibrinoid necrosis and focal glomerulonephritis associated with tubular necrosis.
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