Snake venoms in science and clinical medicine. 3. Neuropharmacological aspects of the activity of snake venoms.

Neuromuscular weakness is a common feature of snake bite. The toxins responsible for weakness either block neuromuscular transmission or they are myotoxic and damage skeletal muscle. In this article the major classes of toxins responsible for causing neuromuscular weakness are described. It is shown how a detailed knowledge of the biochemical and pharmacological properties of the toxins is essential if the clinical problems associated with bites by many species are to be properly understood. It is also shown that such an understanding allows apparent discrepancies between 'laboratory' and 'clinical' findings to be resolved.