The pathogenesis of myonecrosis caused by
myotoxins from bothropic
venom is associated with local extracellular matrix (ECM) disintegration,
hemorrhage, and
inflammation. Search for alternative methods associated with serum
therapy is mandatory to neutralize the fast development of local damage following
snakebites. The experimental use of
photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in murine models has shown promising results relative to structural and functional recovery from bothropic
snakebite-induced myonecrosis. This study pioneered in using Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies to characterize biochemical alterations in the gastrocnemius that had been injected with Bothrops jararacussu
venom and exposed to local PBMT. Results show that vibrational spectra from lyophilized and diluted
venom (1307 cm -1) was also found in the envenomed gastrocnemius indicating
venom presence in the unirradiated muscle 48 h post-injection; but any longer visible after PBMT at this time exposure or 72 h post-injection regardless irradiated or not. Raman and FTIR analyses indicated that the bands with higher area and intensity were 1657 and 1547 cm-1 and 1667 and 1452 cm-1, respectively; all are assignments for
proteins, especially
collagen, and are higher in the PBMT-exposed gastrocnemius. The infrared spectra suggest that
laser treatment was able to change
protein in tissue and that such change indicates
collagen as the main target. We hypothesize that the findings reflect remodeling of ECM with key participation of
collagen and faster tissue recovery for an anabolic condition.