Cobra Venom Reactions

The interaction of the venom and the antivenom with the receptor sites can be modeled as a reaction engineering catalysis problem. Examples of the reactions are given below. Note that the adsorption of venom on the receptor site is irreversible while the adsorption of antivenom on the receptor site is reversible.

 

Adsorption of venom onto site:
Venom Adsorption
Reaction 1
 Rate Constant 1

 

Adsorption of antivenom onto site:
Antivenom Adsorption
Reaction 2
 Rate Constant 2f
Rate Constant 2r

 

Reaction of venom with antivenom on site:
Venom-Antivenom Rxn
Reaction 3
 Rate Constant 3

 

Reaction of antivenom with venom on site:
Antivenom-Venom Rxn
Reaction 4
 Rate Constant 4

 

Reaction of venom and antivenom in blood:
Reaction 5
 Rate Constant 5

 

Removal of product and reactants from system:
Reaction 6
 Rate Constant 6
Reaction 7
 Rate Constant 7
Reaction 8
 Rate Constant 8

 

where:
V = venom
A = antivenom
S = unoccupied receptor site
VS = site occupied by venom
AS = site occupied by antivenom
AV = neutralized product from venom/antivenom reaction