Armen Voskanyan

Head of Laboratory, PhD
E-mail: arminvosking@gmail.com

Main fields of activity

Determination of the toxicity of venoms of different snakes and arthropods. IV, IP, IM and SC injection. Animals: mice and rats.
Methods. Toxicological data is obtained using Behrens method and calculated by the Miller-Tainter method.

Investigation of microglia activity of rat brain following exposure of the different snake venoms with intact venoms and inhibited enzymatic activity.
Methods. Ca2+ ATPase method of rat brain microcirculatory bed and microglia staining is used. Phospholipase A2 (svPLA2) enzymatic activity is inhibited by bromphenacyl bromide, metalloproteinases (svMPs) activity – by EDTA- Na2. Surface, size of brain microglial cells and staining intensity is quantified using ImageJ software.

The evaluation of nociceptive behavior in mice during different venoms action and the investigation of the antinociceptive effect of natural and synthetic endocannabinoids, some analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Methods: “Biting/Licking of hind paw” method of estimating of nociceptive behavior in mice is used. Snake’s venoms and arthropod’s venoms are injected in the hind paw (intraplantar) of mice. N-Acyl amides, analgesics, and cobra (Naja naja oxiana,) venom are injected intraperitoneally.

Hemorrhage stroke modeling by Macrovipera lebetina obtusa venom intracerebral injection and investigation of movement and behavior of rats with lesions in basal ganglia.
Methods: venom injection with stereotaxic coordinates, according to G. Paxinos and C. Watson rat brain atlas. Behavioral tests – elevated plus maze, beam balance test, grip strength test and so on.