Snake Venoms and Envenomation: Modern Trends and Future Prospects (Medicine and Biology Research Developments)

Snake bites are a major health concern, especially in tropical countries. Understanding the pathology of envenomation and chemical composition of snake venoms is important in the development of medical countermeasures (including, but not limited to, antivenoms). Furthermore, snake venoms can be considered natural combinatorial libraries of proteins and peptides. Thus, it is not surprising that components of snake venom have been found extensively useful in biomedical research as well as clinical use for treating diseases as diverse as cancer and muscle pain. In this book, well-known scientists from the Americas, Asia, and Europe discuss recent trends and outlooks in regards to snake venom research. A distinctively broader coverage of the subject is given, with topics ranging from protein biochemistry to pathology. Several chapters highlight protein biochemistry and enzymology of snake venoms, immune response to envenomation and antivenoms, production and use of snake venom components as antigens for antivenom preparation, and the therapeutic value of snake venom components in the treatment of various diseases. A comprehensive and authoritative monograph, this book will be equally interesting to both established researchers and graduate students interested in toxinology and pathology of envenomation.