M.Sc. / Comparative electrophoretic studies at pH8,5 was conducted on the venom of the rinkals (Hemachatus haemachatus), Egyptian cobra (Naja haje haje) and puff-adder (Bitis arietans). The physiological effect of fresh freeze-dried venom of the rinkals was compared with that of various commercial samples of venom obtained from the same species of snake. Furthermore, the stability of dried snake venom under different conditions of storing was investigated. The electrophoretic, as well as the physiological results, indicated significant differences in the characteristics of fresh freeze-dried snake venom and the various commercial samples of venom obtained from the same species of snake. The electrophoretic results also show that freeze-dried venom, stored under the conditions described, is of somewhat unstable character and therefore the venom undergoes changes in its electrophoretic characteristics. A decline or increase of the total percentage of protein of the anodal and cathodal fractions, depending on the type of venom, was observed and is being regarded as being a function of the degeneration of the venom...