Casasola A. auteur aut IRD Ramos-Cerrillo B. auteur aut IRD de Roodt A. R. auteur aut IRD Saucedo A. C. auteur aut IRD Chippaux Jean-Philippe auteur aut IRD Alagon A. auteur aut IRD Stock R. P. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Venoms of snakes belonging to the same Genera tend to share biochemical, toxinological and antigenic characteristics. Accordingly, paraspecific neutralization of venom lethality by experimental antisera and commercial antivenoms has been reported. We studied the spectrum of neutralization of lethality of an experimental monovalent equine antiserum against the strongly neurotoxic African forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) when tested against venoms of most species of African Naja, both neuro and cytotoxic as described by some authors. We report a comparison of the median lethal doses (LD50) of the venoms and the paraspecific median effective doses (ED50) of the antiserum calculated using three methods: Spearman-Karber and Probit (currently recommended by the World Health Organization), and non-linear regression. An ample - but not complete - spectrum of paraspecific neutralization of lethality was observed against both spitting and non-spitting species of African Naja with a clearly more efficient neutralization of the more potent venoms, the implications of which are discussed. The median lethal and effective doses calculated by the three methods are remarkably consistent and may warrant consideration of non-linear regression methods for the calculation of venom lethality and antivenom potency by venom/antivenom researchers and producers. specialized African cobras Antiserum Neutralization Paraspecificity Calculation methods 050 53 6 602-608 2009 0041-0101 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010046049 10.1016/j.toxicon.2009.01.011 0041-0101 [F B010046049] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010046049 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2009/05/010046049.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2009-06-08 2017-08-23 fdi:010046049 fre