Short communicationNeuromuscular effect of venoms from adults and juveniles of Crotalus durissus cumanensis (Humboldt, 1811) from Guajira, Colombia

- The venoms of Crotalus durissus cumanensis, were different. The juveniles' venom has a faster blockade than adults' venom.
- The juveniles' venom did not inhibit significantly the ACh and KCl agonists' response, the venom from adults did.
- The juveniles' venom has a more neurotoxic effect than myotoxic, on the contrary to the venom from adults.

A toxinological study was performed to compare the neuromuscular effect of venom from adult and juvenile specimens from Crotalus durissus cumanensis from Guajira, Colombia. Both venoms exhibited neurotoxic activity in chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation. In addition, venom from juveniles was faster than adults to produce a neuromuscular blockade. In the contrary to the venom from juvenile's, at high doses, adult's venom affected the ACh and KCl contractures, indicating a myotoxic effect.