Mortal poison: Understanding Snake Venom and How It Works

Cardiotoxins are cytotoxins that damage heart cells. Myotoxins target and dissolve muscle cells. Nephrotoxins destroy kidney cells. Many venomous snake species have a combination of cytotoxins and some may also produce neurotoxins or hemotoxins. Cytotoxins destroy cells by damaging the cell membrane and inducing cell lysis. They may also cause cells to undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis. Most of the observable tissue damage caused by cytotoxins occurs at the site of the bite.