%0 Journal Article
%T Comprendiendo los venenos de serpientes: 50 a os de investigaciones en Am¨¦rica Latina
%A Jos¨¦ Mar¨ªa Guti¨¦rrez
%J Revista de Biolog¨ªa Tropical
%D 2002
%I Universidad de Costa Rica
%X La investigaci¨®n cient¨ªfica sobre venenos de serpientes ha sido un campo de trabajo fruct¨ªfero en Am¨¦rica Latina. En la presente revisi¨®n se destacan algunos de los principales logros obtenidos en la comprensi¨®n de la estructura qu¨ªmica y del mecanismo de acci¨®n de toxinas presentes en venenos de serpientes de la regi¨®n. Adem¨¢s, se describen algunas l¨ªneas de trabajo en investigaci¨®n cl¨ªnica relacionada con el mejor conocimiento de la fisiopatolog¨ªa de estos envenenamientos en humanos y en el desempe o terap¨¦utico de los antivenenos. Tambi¨¦n se destacan algunos logros en el desarrollo de tecnolog¨ªas para la producci¨®n de antivenenos, as¨ª como en la caracterizaci¨®n de la capacidad neutralizante de estos inmunobiol¨®gicos As a tribute to Revista de Biolog¨ªa Tropical in its 50 th anniversary, this review describes some of the main research efforts carried out in the study of the chemical composition and the mechanism of action of toxins present in the venoms of snakes distributed in Latin America. Venom proteins involved in neurotoxicity,coagulopathies, hemorrhage and muscle necrosis are discussed, together with a description of the inflammatory reactions elicited by these venoms and toxins. In addition, the search for inhibitory substances present in plants and animals that may be utilized in the neutralization of venoms is analyzed. Some of the clinical studies performed on snakebite envenomations in Latin America are also reviewed, together with the development of technologies aimed at improving the quality of antivenoms produced in the region. Toxinology has become a fruitful and stimulating research field in Latin America which has contibuted to a better understanding of snake venoms as well as to an improved management of snakebitten patients
%K Snake venoms
%K toxins
%K antivenoms
%K neurotoxicity
%K coagulopathies
%K necrosis
%U http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442002000200002