Ophidism is a public health problem in tropical countries, occurring predominantly in rural areas. In Colombia, among the species responsible for snakebite envenomation, inflicting high mortality, is the Chocoan bushmaster, Lachesis acrochorda, better known locally by the names “verrugosa (warty)” and “pudridora (rot-causing)”. In this research, the cardiotoxic effect of the venom of L. acrochorda in male Wistar rats weighing 230 ± 20 g was evaluated. A statistical design of randomized blocks was implemented with three treated groups, injected with lyophilized venom (doses of 3.22 μg/g, 6.43 μg/g, 12.86 μg/g), and a control group injected with 0.9% saline solution. Electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings were taken from the anesthetized animals, revealing an increase in the amplitude of the P and T waves and an increase in the duration of the QT intervals in the electrocardiographic recordings. These increases were not observed in the control biomodels. In the analysis of the CK and CK-MB enzyme levels, increases were also observed in the levels of cardiac isoenzymes in the injected animals, but none in the control animals. The histopathological analyses carried out reveal that the injected animals showed effects such as interfibrillar and perivascular edema, cellular shortening of the cardiomyocytes, foci with tissue destructuring, and necrosis with contraction bands. In conclusion, the venom of the Lachesis acrochorda snake increases the P and T waves and the QT interval and increases the CK and CK-MB enzymes in the blood. Additionally, it causes interfibrillar and perivascular edema in the cardiac tissue, cardiocytolysis, and contraction bands.

The present research and development work focuses on ophidism or ophidic accidentthat is a forgotten public health problem, which is normally focused on antiophidic serumapplication. Complications are sometimes caused by the patients; delay to go to amedical centre and the health professionals lacking knowledge of the ophidismtreatment. In this work, we design under canvas model a Massive Open Online Course(MOOC) on introduction to ophidic accident giving a new accessible, massive anddynamic training strategy. It is nourished by the students’ contribution; unlike traditionaltraining programmes. For this reason, it is intended to promote other forms of training onprevention and knowledge of the ophidic accident, which are priority activities in theColombian territory. To end, we highlight that there exist a considerable number ofunderestimated cases due to the inadequate registration of the notification forms.

La víbora pitviper o equis colorada, Bothrocophias colombianus, perteneciente a la familia Viperidae, subfamilia Crotalinae, es una especie de serpiente venenosa que se encuentra en las selvas húmedas de la costa Pacífica de colombiana, donde el desconocimiento de los efectos de su veneno dificulta enormemente la atención médica. Esta investigación es un esfuerzo por conocer los efectos del veneno de B. colombianus, comprendiendo mejor los efectos locales, mediante el cálculo de las dosis mínima edematosa (MED) y mínima hemorrágica (MHD), estableciendo la dosis letal en 50 (DL50) en ratones de la cepa CFW, y evaluando cualquier efecto sistémico derivado de la dosis mínima coagulante (MCD) en plasma sanguíneo humano. Los resultados revelaron que la DL50 de este veneno es de 199,5 μg veneno/ratón. Se observaron efectos hemorrágicos (1,06 ± 0,47 μg de ) y edematizantes (0,45 ± 0,15 μg), además de un ligero efecto coagulante (21,02 ± 0,82 μg). En conclusión, el cuadro clínico del envenenamiento causado por esta especie podría caracterizarse por fuertes alteraciones hemorrágicas y edematosas, y ligeras alteraciones en el proceso de coagulación.

Anuran skin secretions are rich sources of bioactive metabolites whose composition may vary according to environmental conditions. In this study, skin secretions from two populations of Dendropsophus columbianus exposed to contrasting environmental conditions (Clarete and Las Guacas, Popayán, Cauca, Colombia) were evaluated for antifungal activity against Hemileia vastatrix, the causal agent of coffee leaf rust. Secretion from the Clarete population showed no significant inhibition of urediniospore germination (p = 0.9999). In contrast, secretion from Las Guacas, a polluted and poorly conserved environment, exhibited significant dose-dependent antifungal activity (p = 0.0004–<0.0001). Chromatographic profiles from Las Guacas were more complex than those from Clarete. Two fractions, designated 5* and 7*, reduced urediniospore germination to 17.6% and 9.6%, respectively, compared to the negative control (75.37%; p < 0.0001). LC-MS analysis detected low-molecular-weight singly charged compounds (400–1500 m/z) consistent with alkaloid-like secondary metabolites. Although no definitive structural identification was achieved, these findings highlight the chemical plasticity and biotechnological potential of D. columbianus for the sustainable control of coffee leaf rust.