The cucurbituril family of drug delivery vehicles have been examined for their tissue specific toxicity usingex vivomodels.

Bbil-TX, a PLA₂, was purified fromBothriopsis bilineatasnake venom after only one chromatographic step using RP-HPLC onμ-Bondapak C-18 column. A molecular mass of 14243.8 Da was confirmed by Q-Tof Ultima API ESI/MS (TOF MS mode) mass spectrometry. The partial protein sequence obtained was then submitted to BLASTp, with the search restricted to PLA₂from snakes and shows high identity values when compared to other PLA₂s. PLA₂activity was presented in the presence of a synthetic substrate and showed a minimum sigmoidal behavior, reaching its maximal activity at pH 8.0 and 25–37^∘C. Maximum PLA₂activity required Ca²⁺and in the presence of Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mg²⁺it was reduced in the presence or absence of Ca²⁺. Crotapotin fromCrotalus durissus cascavellarattlesnake venom and antihemorrhagic factor DA2-II fromDidelphis albiventrisopossum sera under optimal conditions significantly inhibit the enzymatic activity. Bbil-TX induces myonecrosis in mice. The fraction does not show a significant cytotoxic activity in myotubes and myoblasts (C2C12). The inflammatory events induced in the serum of mice by Bbil-TX isolated fromBothriopsis bilineatasnake venom were investigated. An increase in vascular permeability and in the levels of TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-1 was was induced. Since Bbil-TX exerts a stronger proinflammatory effect, the phospholipid hydrolysis may be relevant for these phenomena.