protection against neurotoxic envenomations by elapids in Thailand.
This polyvalent antivenom, termed Neuro Polyvalent Snake
Antivenom (abbreviated as NPAV) is raised against venoms of four
medically important cobras and kraits in Thailand, i.e. Naja
kaouthia (Thai monocellate cobra), Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra),
Bungarus candidus (Malayan krait) and Bungarus fasciatus (banded
krait). In this paper, we report evaluation of the cross-neutralizing
potential of NPAV against heterologous venoms of common Afro-
Asian cobras (Naja spp. and Ophiophagus hannah) and Asian kraits
(Bungarus spp.) We also compared the efficacy of the polyvalent
antivenom versus the relevant monovalent antivenom. The results
will provide preliminary information as to whether the polyvalent
antivenom could find therapeutic application for cobra and krait
envenomations outside of Thailand, as well as contribute to the
design of a broad-spectrum, Pan-Asian polyvalent antivenom [7].