Bothropic and crotalic venoms: main aspects and derivative products for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes - a brief approach / Venenos botrópicos e crotálicos: principais aspectos e produtos derivados para fins terapêuticos e diagnósticos - uma breve abordagem

Abstract

 Ophidian accidents, mainly by snakes of the Bothrops and Crotalus genera, are an important public health problem, especially in tropical countries due to the high rate of occurrence and lethality, being considered as a neglected disease and with challenging treatment. Thus, more knowledge that can minimize the devastating effects of snakebites is required.  This brief review addressed aspects related to snakebite accidents belonging to the Bothrops and Crotalus genera, with regard to their epidemiology, some biochemical characteristics of the respective venoms and the development of pharmaceutical products from snake venoms for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes