Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
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Studies were conducted with isolated segments of pulmonary artery to characterize vessel contractility in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. Contractions of pulmonary artery segments from rats given monocrotaline in drinking water (20 mg/l) for up to 20 days were measured in tissue baths. Dose response curves were produced with norepinephrine or serotonin and the response to 120 mM potassium chloride (KCl) was measured. ⋯ In separate experiments using continuous exposure to monocrotaline, a minimum of 15 days treatment was required before contractile activity was significantly altered. Results indicate monocrotaline treatment reduces the contractile activity of muscular pulmonary artery. Alterations in vessel responsiveness were produced after a minimum of 4 days treatment with monocrotaline in drinking water (an estimated exposure of 14-20 mg/kg) but required 15-20 days to develop.
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Chironex fleckeri crude venom was partially purified using immobilized commercially available ovoid antivenom. The antibody preparation reacted with lethal, hemolytic, dermonecrotic and mouse writhing (pain) factors in the crude venom. The lethal activity was purified five fold, while the specific eluate contained lower quantities of hemolytic, dermonecrotic and mouse writhing activities than did the crude venom.