African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (9), pp. 1161-1163, 2 May 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Effect of Trimeresurus albolabris (green pit viper) venom on mean corpuscular volume, osmotic fragility and red blood cell morphology: A preliminary report

Suphan Soogarun, Montri Chowbumroongkait², Paweena Pradniwat¹, Supantitra Chanprasert¹, Viroj Wiwanitkit³, Yaninart Suwanawong¹, Tusrin Moungkote¹ and Jaturawat Pawinwongchai¹

¹Clinical Microscopy Research Unit, Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

² Snake farm, Thai Red Cross, Thailand.

³Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: supunsug@yahoo.com.

Accepted 20 April, 2007

An in vitro study was conducted by mixing small amounts of green pit viper venom with blood and observing changes. At a concentration of 10 mg crude venom, red blood cells (RBC) osmotic fragility slightly increased. RBC morphology changed to spherical shape which was compatible with what was observed in scanning electron microscope (SEM). However, there was no change in mean corpuscular volume (p > 0.05).

Key words: Green Pit Viper, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Osmotic Fragility.