Hi mate



As has been already pointed out, LD50 charts are compiled using mice not humans and thus they may not translate directly across. However, the variance between humans and mice will most likely be quite a bit less than the variance between chickens and humans but in either case, common pathways are present so reasonable extrapolations can be made. For example, the blood coagulation cascade is the same and thus a prothrombin activating toxin will have the same mode of action in both. Similarly, the receptor targeted by colubrid/elapid neurotoxins is virtually identical between human/mice/chickens and therefore the relative toxicity will mostly be consistent between them (but not identical of course, with some venoms varying more than others between the models).



Therefore, while LD50s are not a precise guide, they are of tremendous use in providing a reasonable roadmap regarding potential human toxicity. There will certainly be a swing but it won't be dramatic enough to put an American copperhead before a taipan as an extreme example.



Cheers

B
-----
Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry

Deputy Director

Australian Venom Research Unit

University of Melbourne



www.venomdoc.com

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