Created by Susan Stagg-Williams, Dieter Andrew Schweiss, Gavin Sy, and H. Scott Fogler, 1994
Updated by Apeksha Bandi, Gustav Sandborgh, and Arthur Shih, 2013

Cobra Venom Reactions

The interaction of the venom and the antivenom with the receptor sites can be modeled as a reaction engineering catalysis problem. Examples of the reactions are given below. Note that the adsorption of venom on the receptor site is irreversible while the adsorption of antivenom on the receptor site is reversible.

Description Mechanism Rate Law
Adsorption of venom onto the receptor site

Rate constant = kv

Adsorption of antivenom onto the receptor site

Forward rate constant = ka
Backward rate constant = kia


Reaction of venom with antivenom on the site

Rate constant = ksa

Reaction of antivenom with venom on the site

Rate constant = ksv

Reaction of antivenom and venom in the blood

Rate constant = kp

Removal of antivenom from the system

Rate constant = koa

Removal of venom from the system

Rate constant = kov

Removal of neutralized venom/antivenom product from the system

Rate constant = kop


where:
V = venom
A = antivenom
S = unoccupied receptor site
VS = site occupied by venom
AS = site occupied by antivenom
AV = neutralized product from venom/antivenom reaction