Cytotoxic activity of various snake venoms on melanoma, B16F10 and chondrosarcoma.

Elapid, crotalid and viperid venoms were screened in vitro and in vivo for cytotoxicity towards B16F10 melanoma and chondrosarcoma cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of elapid venoms was considerably higher than that of viperid or crotalid venoms. Elapid venoms disrupted the cell membrane within the first hour, leading to cell death. The strongest activity was found in the venom of Naja nigricollis. The venoms of some Viperidae and of all Crotalidae examined caused the cells to become rounded, without loss in their original volume, and to form aggregates. These changes were reversible when cells were changed to fresh medium. In vivo experiments with the venom of Naja nigricollis were in total agreement with the results achieved in vitro with melanoma cells and the venom exhibited similar cytotoxic activity on chondrosarcoma, inhibiting its development in vivo.