Viral infections are main causes of respiratory tract infections in humans and are also causes of hepatitis and AIDS. There are many types of viruses that cause respiratory tract infections, and viruses that cause hepatitis and AIDS mutate frequently; therefore, the use of a medicament allowing the spectral suppression of viruses is clinically an urgent need. A crude toxin of Elapidae snakes and main toxins thereof, namely postsynaptic neurotoxin, cardiotoxin, cytotoxin, and phospholipase A2, serve as membrane toxins (MT) of a membrane active polypeptide; they provide a broad-spectrum virus suppression effect by means of destroying the protein coats of viruses, and thus provide a special meaning and applications in treating diseases caused by virus infections.
APPLICATIONS OF POSTSYNAPTIC NEUROTOXIN, CARDIOTOXIN, CYTOTOXIN, PHOSPHOLIPASE A2, AND CRUDE TOXIN OF ELAPIDAE SNAKES IN COMBATING VIRAL INFECTIONS