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Homeopathy 2016; 105(04): 338-343
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2016.05.003
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2016

Effect of a biostimulatory homeopathic complex on venom production in captive rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus)

Paula Helena Santa Rita
1   Programa de Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Caixa Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil
4   Biotério, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Campo Grande, MS 79117-900, Brazil
,
Herbert Patric Kellermann Cleveland
4   Biotério, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Campo Grande, MS 79117-900, Brazil
,
Paula Laryssa Souza Pereira
4   Biotério, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Campo Grande, MS 79117-900, Brazil
,
William Corrêa
4   Biotério, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000, Campo Grande, MS 79117-900, Brazil
,
Valter Joost Van Onselen
2   Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Caixa Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil
,
Ruy Alberto Caetano Corrêa Filho
2   Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Caixa Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil
,
Maria Araújo Teixeira
3   Biotério, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 1555, Campo Grande, MS 79074-460, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
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Further Information

Publication History

Received30 May 2014
revised29 April 2016

accepted18 May 2016

Publication Date:
22 December 2017 (online)

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two administration methods of a biostimulatory homeopathic complex (Convert H ®) on the production of fresh and lyophilized venom of rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus) under intensive captivity conditions. Sixty snakes were subjected to treatment following a randomized block design. The effects of sex and size were controlled for. Thirteen consecutive extractions were performed over 21 months. The first factor considered in the experiment was the origin of mice used as prey: a conventional colony (A1) or the Convert H colony (A2; mice receiving the homeopathic complex in water at 1%). The type of water given to snakes was the second factor: pure (B1) or amended with 5% of Convert H ® (B2). The experiment was structured in a factorial 2 × 2 design combining mouse and water types (A1B1, A1B2, A2B1, and A2B2). No consistent treatment effects on fresh venom production (mL) were observed when the experimental groups were compared with controls (A1B1). However, production of lyophilized venom (mg) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in A2B2 animals than in controls in eight of 13 extractions performed, and also in aggregate. The results revealed that production of lyophilized venom, measured over multiple extractions, can be increased by administering the homeopathic complex simultaneously to rattlesnakes and prey.

Keywords

Crotalus durissus - Convert H ® - Fresh venom - Lyophilized venom
 

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