Evaluation of vasoactivity after haemotoxic snake venom administration

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a widely used model in medical research and fulfils the requirements laid out in the 3 R's. The CAM, contains a dense network of blood vessels, essential for embryo development but also makes the chick embryo an invaluable resource for the study of angiogenesis and the haemotoxicity of substances. Non-neurotoxic snake venom is responsible worldwide for numerous deaths but also has been found to have a vast range of medicinal benefit. This study combines evaluating the time of onset and intensity of effects of three whole viper venoms (Bitis aritans, Crotalus viridis, Agkistrodon contortrix) at varying concentrations. They were applied onto the CAM, using the Luepke grading system as one method of determining their rapid irritation potential. Regarding the principles of 3 R's, this method helps to evaluate the haemotoxic effect of venom as an alternative method to the rodent tests. The information provided from these results can be used as a rapid tool for both medical management of snakebite wounds and the potential use of snake venom in medical treatments. Then, Luepke grading system can help to evaluate the haemotoxic effect of venom in combination with other appropriate methods.