Inhibition of Sendai virus by various snake venom.

Viperid, elapid and crotalid snake venoms were screened in vitro for antiviral activity against Sendai virus. The hemolysis of 10(8) human erythrocytes in 1 ml, caused by 70 HAU of Sendai virus, was abolished when the virions were pretreated with 10 ug of the viperid venom of Echis coloratus, and was considerably diminished when pretreated with 10 ug of the venom of Echis carinatus sochureki, the cobra venoms of Naja atra and Naja nigricollis nigricollis. These venoms did not affect the erythrocytes but inhibited the virions themselves irreversibly. All other examined snake venoms had low or no antiviral activity. There was no correlation between the proteolytic and the antiviral activity of the venoms.