Abstract
[Truncated] This thesis presents the first comprehensive study of the in vitro
effects on human blood coagulation of the venoms of all 20
Australian venomous snakes large enough to be considered a threat to
humans. This systematic study, which includes for the first time
six venoms never previously examined, has led to a considerable
increase in understanding of the disturbances in blood coagulation
following envenomation. The results contained in this thesis have
important implications in the clinical management of snake bite
victims in Australia.
Venoms were studied using both established techniques and the
application of new techniques developed in the course of this study.
All venoms can now be classified as either procoagulant or
anticoagulant in nature. The procoagulant activity of the venoms
was characterised by determining the dependence or independence on
various cofactors and the similarity of the venoms' activity to the
active proenzymes of normal blood coagulation, thrombin and
activated factor X. Anticoagulant activity was found to be dominant
in four Australian venoms and in each case was shown by a variety of
techniques to be antithromboplastic. Three well documented non
Australian snake venoms were included in this thesis for comparative
purposes. In addition they served to validate the findings using
the techniques applied to the Australian venoms.
effects on human blood coagulation of the venoms of all 20
Australian venomous snakes large enough to be considered a threat to
humans. This systematic study, which includes for the first time
six venoms never previously examined, has led to a considerable
increase in understanding of the disturbances in blood coagulation
following envenomation. The results contained in this thesis have
important implications in the clinical management of snake bite
victims in Australia.
Venoms were studied using both established techniques and the
application of new techniques developed in the course of this study.
All venoms can now be classified as either procoagulant or
anticoagulant in nature. The procoagulant activity of the venoms
was characterised by determining the dependence or independence on
various cofactors and the similarity of the venoms' activity to the
active proenzymes of normal blood coagulation, thrombin and
activated factor X. Anticoagulant activity was found to be dominant
in four Australian venoms and in each case was shown by a variety of
techniques to be antithromboplastic. Three well documented non
Australian snake venoms were included in this thesis for comparative
purposes. In addition they served to validate the findings using
the techniques applied to the Australian venoms.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Awarding Institution |
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| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Unpublished - 1990 |
Take-down notice
- This thesis has been made available in the UWA Profiles and Research Repository as part of a UWA Library project to digitise and make available theses completed before 2003. If you are the author of this thesis and would like it removed from the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, please contact [email protected]