How Does Snake Venom Work?

Snake venom is a highly modified saliva containing zootoxins that facilitate the immobilization and digestion of prey, and defense against threats. It is injected by unique fangs during a bite, and some species are also able to spit their venom. Snake venom is the fluid secretions from the modified salivary glands of venomous snakes.
The primary component of snake venom is protein. These toxic proteins are the cause of most of the harmful effects of snake venom. It also contains enzymes, which help to speed up chemical reactions that break chemical bonds between large molecules. These enzymes aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, phospholipids, and nucleotides in prey. Toxic enzymes also function to lower blood pressure, destroy red blood cells, and inhibit muscle control.
There are three main types of Snake Venom:
Cytotoxins
Neurotoxins and
Hemotoxins
1 Cytotoxins destroy body cells. Cytotoxins lead to the death of most or all of the cells in a tissue or organ, a condition known as necrosis.
2 Neurotoxins are chemical substances that are poisonous to the nervous system. Neurotoxins disrupting chemical signals (neurotransmitters) sent between neurons and they may block neurotransmitter reception sites. Other snake neurotoxins work by calcium and potassium channels. These channels are important for the transmission of signals along neurons. Neurotoxins cause muscle paralysis which may also result in respiratory difficulty and death. These snakes have small, erect fangs and include cobras, mambas, sea snakes, and coral snakes.
3 Hemotoxins are blood poisons that have cytotoxic effects and also disrupt normal blood coagulation processes. These substances work by causing red blood cells to burst open, by interfering with blood clotting factors, and by causing tissue death and organ damage. Destruction of RBC and the inability of blood to clot cause serious internal bleeding. The accumulation of dead red blood cells can also disrupt proper kidney function. Some hemotoxins inhibit blood clotting, others cause platelets and other blood cells to clump together. The resulting clots block blood circulation through blood vessels and can lead to heart failure. Snakes of the family Viperidae, including vipers and pit vipers, produce hemotoxins.