Skip to Content

Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles

Edited by Stephen P. Mackessy

Published July 14th 2009 by CRC Press – 528 pages

Purchasing Options:

Description

The Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles offers "one-stop shopping" to all biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, physicians, clinicians, and epidemiologists, and informed laypersons interested in the biology of venomous reptiles, the biochemistry and molecular biology of venoms, and the effects and treatment of human envenomation. This book examines the topic generally, provides an overview of the current taxonomy of these reptiles, explains the similarities and differences in the venom delivery apparatus in different groups of reptiles, reviews state-of-the-art knowledge about specific venom components and their action, and summarizes effects of envenomation and treatment in humans on different continents.

Produced by leading toxinologists, biologists, biochemists, and physicians from 12 countries, the book provides a broad, international perspective that bridges divergent areas in modern biology. A synthesis of current knowledge about venoms and venomous reptiles, it contains a wealth of illustrations, including an 8-page color insert, that present a view of reptile toxinology from the whole animal to the glands producing venoms to the molecular models and the mechanisms of actions of the toxins themselves.

The book provides a context for understanding the range of activities present in venoms and supplies detailed information on many enzymes and toxins found in them, bringing into focus the worldwide extent of the occurrence and complexity of human envenomations by reptiles. It explores the unique and interesting results produced by collaborations between specialists from very different fields and how they can stimulate new and continued interest in research on venoms and the animals that produce them.

Contents

Field of Reptile Toxinology: Snakes, Lizards, and Their Venoms, S.P. Mackessy

Recent Advances in Venomous Snake Systematics, A. Quijada-Mascareñas and W. Wüster

Reptile Venom Glands: Form, Function, and Future, S.A. Weinstein, T.L. Smith, and K.V. Kardong

Snake Venom Metalloproteinases, J.W. Fox and S.M.T. Serrano

Snake Venom Metalloproteinases: Biological Roles and Participation in the Pathophysiology of Envenomation, J.M. Gutiérrez, A. Rucavado, and T. Escalante

Thrombin-like Snake Venom Serine Proteinases, D.J. Phillips, S.D. Swenson, and F.S. Markland, Jr.

Snake Venom Nucleases, Nucleotidases, and Phosphomonoesterases, B.L. Dhananjaya, B.S. Vishwanath, and C.J.M. D’Souza

Snake Venom Phospholipase A2 Enzymes, R. Doley, X. Zhou, and R.M. Kini

Snake Venom Acetylcholinesterase, M. Ahmed, J.B.T. Rocha, V.M. Morsch, and M.R.C. Schetinger

Snake Venom L-Amino Acid Oxidases, N.-H. Tan and S.-Y. Fung

Hyaluronidases, a Neglected Class of Glycosidases from Snake Venom: Beyond a Spreading Factor, K. Kemparaju, K. S. Girish, and S. Nagaraju

Enzyme Inhibitors in Reptile Venoms and Innate Immunity to Snake Venoms, A.G. da Costa Neves-Ferreira, R.H. Valente, J. Perales, and G.B. Domont

Snake Venom Three-Finger Toxins, R.P. Hegde, N. Rajagopalan, R. Doley, and R.M. Kini

Sarafotoxins, the Snake Venom Homologs of the Endothelins, A. Bdolah

Fasciculins: Toxins from Mamba Venoms That Inhibit Acetylcholinesterase, A.L. Harvey

Cysteine-rich Secretory Proteins in Reptile Venoms, W.H. Heyborne and S.P. Mackessy

Snake Venomics and Disintegrins: Portrait and Evolution of a Family of Snake Venom Integrin Antagonists, J.J. Calvete, P. Juárez, and L. Sanz

Reptile C-type Lectins, X.-Y. Du and K.J. Clemetson

Snake Venom Nerve Growth Factors, M.F. Lavin, S. Earl, G. Birrell, L. St. Pierre, J. de Jersey, and P. Masci

The Role of Purine and Pyrimidine Nucleosides in Snake Venoms, S.D. Aird

Envenomation: Prevention and Treatment in Australia, J. White

Snakebite in Africa: Current Situation and Urgent Needs, J.-P. Chippaux

Envenomations by Reptiles in the United States, J. Smith and S. Bush

Snakebite Envenomation in Central America, J.M. Gutiérrez

Index

Author Bio

Stephen P. Mackessy is currently professor of biology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). His research broadly encompasses the biology of venomous snakes and the biochemistry of snake venoms, and he has published over one hundred scientific papers, book chapters, and natural history notes.

Name: Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles (Hardback) – CRC Press 
Description: Edited by Stephen P. Mackessy. The Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles offers "one-stop shopping" to all biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, physicians, clinicians, and epidemiologists, and informed laypersons interested in the biology of venomous reptiles, the...
Categories: Pharmacology, Zoology, Toxicology, Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Chemistry