Freeze-dried equine-derived redback spider antivenom: a local irritation study by intramuscular injection in rabbits and a repeated-dose toxicity study in rats.

ABSTRACT: The redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) is nonindigenous to Japan but has now spread throughout the country. Bites to humans are rare but can be fatal. We prepared freeze-dried redback spider antivenom for therapeutic use against bites in Japan by immunization of horse plasma. This study included two nonclinical tests of the antivenom: a local irritation study involving a single intramuscular administration to rabbits (with injections of physiological saline and an existing freeze-dried diphtheria antitoxin as control and comparison substances, respectively) and a 2-week repeated intermittent intravenous-dose toxicity study in rats. The irritation study showed the antivenom's irritancy to be comparable with that of the saline and the existing antitoxin preparations under the test

SUBMITTER: Yamamoto A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5938211 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature