Effect of Russell´s Viper Venom and Hydrogen Peroxide on the Clotting Time of Blood

The clotting time of blood is a measure as to how long blood requires to transform from its liquid state to that of a solid. The final product of clotting is the production of a fibrin clot (scab), a three dimensional polymer. The body uses clotting to stop bleeding that can cause extremely fatal diseases and ultimately even death. Russell´s Viper Venom (RVV) generates a procoagulant effect on both citrated whole blood (CWB) and plasma by converting Factor X to Factor Xa, resulting in a shortened clotting time. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an oxidizer generated by the immune system. H2O2serves as the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses. This in vitro study was performed by on CWB and plasma, both individually with RVV, H2O2, and the combination of the latter two. The clotting time, rate of clot formation, and the maximum strength of the clot were determined. The results show that the combination of RVV and H2O2significantly reduces the clotting time, (p< .001) when compared to each alone.