(ant‵i-ven'ĭn , ant‵ve‵nēn', ant‵ven'ŏm)

[anti- + venin, venom]

A serum that contains antitoxin specific for an animal or insect venom. Antivenin is prepared from the sera of immunized animals.

Patient Care: Antivenins are foreign proteins that often induce allergic reactions in patients who receive them. The likelihood of allergic reactions is reduced by prior administration of epinephrine.

black widow spider a.Antitoxic serum obtained from horses immunized against the venom of the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) and used specifically to treat bites of the black widow spider.

(Crotalidae) polyvalent a.Anti-snakebite serum obtained from serum of horses immunized against venom of four types of pit vipers of the family Crotalidae: Crotalus atrox, C. adamanteus, C. terrificus, and Bothrops atrox.