Abstract: The desert horned vipers (C. cerastes and
C. gasperettii) are the most familiar snakes of the great
deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. In the
present study, the effects of Cerastes crude venom on
serum biochemical parameters of Guinea pigs. Female
Guinea pigs (300±30 g B.W.) were divided into three
groups (10 each). In the control group, Guinea pigs were
interaperitoneally (ip) injected with 100 μL saline
solution. The second group was ip., injected with
0.2 μ g^–1 B.W. of crude venom in 100 μL saline solutions.
The third group was ip., injected with 0.4 μgm g^–1
B.W. of crude venom in 100 μL saline solution. The
results indicated that the single dose of crude venom
induced a significant decrease in total serum protein,
albumin, globulin cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid
within 12 and 24 h. After injection of crude venom
of the viper C. cerastes. However, the levels of glucose,
urea, creatinine, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT),
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alkaline
Phosphatase (ALP) were elevated in envenomated Guinea
pigs after 12 and 24 h post-injection of crude venom.
Viper C. cerastes crude venom caused hepatic and renal
dysfunction in envenomated Guinea pigs. These
disturbances are remaining for 24 h after envenomation of
Guinea pigs at least, regardless the using dose.