*5.1. Animals*

Male Swiss mice weighing 20–25 g supplied by the housing facility of the Instituto Butantan were used. The animals were maintained for two days in a 12:12 h light: dark cycle and received water and food ad libitum, before experiments. All experimental procedures were conducted according to the ethical parameters proposed by the International Society of Toxinology and the Brazilian College of Experimental Animals and were approved by the Ethical Committee for the Use of Animals of Butantan Institute (n◦ 466/08).
