The smooth muscle relaxant effects of venom from the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)
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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Extraction of Venom and Venom Gland Microdissections from Spiders for Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses
Published on: November 3, 2014
K L Bell1, B K Kemp, G A McPherson
1Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Abstract:
Venom (10 microg/ml) relaxed phenylephrine-precontracted aortae. This relaxation was unaffected by removal of the endothelium or a combination of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG; 0.1 mM), oxyhaemoglobin (10 microM) and indomethacin (10 microM). 4-BPB (0.78 mM), propranolol (1 microM), or a combination of apamin (0.1 microM), charybdotoxin (0.1 microM) and glibenclamide (10 microM) did not effect endothelium-independent relaxation, suggesting a lack of PLA2 activity or an effect at beta-adrenoceptors or K+ channels. Venom (10 microg/ml) reversed Bay K 8644 (0.1 microM)-induced contraction indicating the venom may have an effect on L-type Ca2+ channels.
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