Journal des bioprocédés et des biotechniques

Development of Modified Caprylic Acid Fractionation Method for the Enhanced Yield and Purity of Equine Polyvalent Antisnake Venom Immunoglobulins

Abstract

Sunil Kumar A, Dilip Singh R and Ravi Kumar G

Polyvalent antivenom IgG s produced in equines against different snake venom are used for treatment in snakebite cases. For this, hyperimmune equine plasma is fractionated and purified before use. Hence, serum related side effects are common. To reduce it, search for more effective method with high yield and purity, is of concern. In the present study, a modified caprylic acid method for the fractionation of IgG, has been described. The method was also compared with routine method and previously described caprylic acid methods. The results indicated that modified caprylic acid method at concentration 1.5%, pH 4.8 with stirring for 60 minutes, was superior in terms of yield, and purity as compared to other methods (p<0.05). The purified lgG were also found to have better neutralizing potency against all the four venoms viz., Cobra (Naja naja), Krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s viper (Vipra russelli), and Saw Scaled viper (Echis carinatus). The results suggest that modified caprylic acid method, could be of great value for commercial scale production of antivenom with respect to its efficacy, simplicity, low cost, reduced production time and above all high yield of colorless lgG finished product.