✅ Name:
Snake Venom Antiserum (Polyvalent, Soluble/Liquid) – As Licensed
📄 Description:
Polyvalent Snake Venom Antiserum is a biological product containing specific antibodies prepared from horse (equine) plasma immunized with venom of multiple medically important snake species. It is used for neutralizing the venom in cases of snakebite envenomation.
💊 Prescription/Use:
- Indication:
Treatment of envenomation by common poisonous snakes in India, such as:- Common Cobra (Naja naja)
- Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus)
- Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii)
- Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus)
- Route of Administration:
- Intravenous (IV) infusion, diluted in normal saline over 1 hour.
- Dosage:
- Depends on the type and severity of envenomation, clinical features, and local protocols.
- Initial dose: Commonly 8–10 vials, can be increased as needed.
- Repeated doses may be required in severe cases.
🔬 Nature:
- Type: Polyvalent equine antivenom (passive immunotherapy).
- Form: Sterile liquid solution (soluble) – ready to use.
- Derived from horse plasma with purified immunoglobulin fragments (usually F(ab’)₂ or Fab).
🌟 Advantages:
- Neutralizes venom from multiple snake species.
- Rapid reversal of systemic effects of envenomation (neurotoxic, hemotoxic).
- Reduces complications like bleeding, paralysis, renal failure, and death.
- Liquid (soluble) form is ready-to-use, no reconstitution needed.
📦 Common Packaging:
- Supplied in single-dose vials (commonly 10 mL or 10 vials per pack).
- Comes with product leaflet and label indicating polyvalent antivenom.
- External packaging includes instructions and storage details.
🧊 Storage:
- Store at 2°C to 8°C (Refrigerator).
- Do not freeze.
- Protect from light.
- Once opened, unused portions should be discarded.
⚠️ Precautions:
- Always perform sensitivity (skin) testing before administration due to risk of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis or serum sickness).
- Keep adrenaline, corticosteroids, and antihistamines readily available.
- Use cautiously in patients with a history of asthma or allergies.
- Do not use if the solution is cloudy, colored, or contains particles.
- Not effective against envenomation by sea snakes or non-included snake species.
👩⚕️ Patient Advice:
- Inform your doctor of any history of allergies or reactions to animal products.
- After administration, stay under observation for at least 24 hours to monitor for adverse effects.
- Report immediately if experiencing difficulty breathing, swelling, rashes, fever, or body pain.
- Complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms improve early.
- You may experience delayed serum sickness (fever, joint pain, rash) 5–10 days later — report such symptoms.