Pharmaco-modulations of induced edema and vascular permeability changes by Vipera lebetina venom: inflammatory mechanisms.

The inflammatory response induced by Vipera lebetina venom (VLV) in the mice hind paw was evaluated by paw edema value and vascular permeability changes. The edema was produced in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This response was maximal within 2 h and disappeared after 24 h The minimum edema-forming dose was estimated at 0.8 μg/20 g body weight. Microscopic examination confirmed that VLV also induces skin structure alterations with collagen fiber dissociation and polynuclear infiltration, which is characteristic of edema formation. The induced edema with VLV (1 μg/paw) could be due to the release of pharmacological active substances at the site of injection. Histamine, serotonine, and arachidonate metabolites may play important roles in the vasoactive and edematic effect of VLV since pretreatment of mice with cromoglycate, cyproheptadine, ibuprofen, loratidine, and indomethacin significantly reduced the edema formation (77, 63, 57, 45, and 43 %, respectively). The obtained results demonstrate that the induced edema and vasodilatation by this venom may be triggered and maintained by different pharmacological mechanisms, since cromoglycate and cyproheptadine were the most active inhibitors of the edema. The relationships between histamine and serotonin release from mast cells and arachidonate metabolites activation could be the main step in edema-forming and the induced vasodilatation by the venom.