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The effects of 31 plant extracts, which most are traditionally used to treat ciguatera fish poisoning in the Pacific area, were studied on the cytotoxicity of mouse neuroblastoma cells produced by ouabain, veratridine and/or brevetoxin-3 or Pacific ciguatoxin-1. The cell viability was determined using a quantitative colorimetric method. A marked cytotoxicity of seven of the 31 plant extracts studied,...
The loss of muscle mass consequent to poor muscle regeneration is a common sequela following the injection of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom. Since an intact microvasculature plays a central role in the success of muscle regeneration, the poor muscle regeneration seen after envenomation could be explained by damage to the local microvasculature. In this work, we investigated the pathogenesis of...
The effects of microcystins (MCs) from cyanobacterial cells on the enzymatic activities of acid and alkaline phosphatases (ACP and ALP) from liver, kidney and gill tissues, and the histopathological changes in freshwater Tilapia fish (Oreochromis sp.) were investigated under laboratory conditions. Fish were exposed to cyanobacterial cells (60.0μg MC-LR/fish per day) through their diet at different...
This paper presents the first study of F(ab′) 2 scorpion antivenom pharmacokinetics in humans. We have studied the pharmacokinetics of an antiscorpion venom preparation (Alacramyn™) in eight human healthy volunteers. The fabotherapic was administered as a 47.5mg i.v. bolus. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360min after antivenom administration. Subsequently,...
We have isolated a new phospholipase A 2 (MiDCA1) from the venom of the coral snake Micrurus dumerilii carinicauda. This toxin, which had a molecular mass of 15,552Da, shared high sequence homology with the PLA 2 toxins MICNI A and B from Micrurus nigrocinctus venom (77.7% and 73.1%, respectively). In chick biventer cervicis preparations, MiDCA1 produced concentration- and time-dependent...
Brazil has many species of spiders belonging to Araneidae family however, very little is known about the composition, chemical structure and mechanisms of action of the main venom components of these spiders. The main objective of this work was to isolate and to perform the chemical characterization of a novel β-carboline toxin from the venom of the spider Parawixia bistriata, a typical species of...
Contact with sponges (Phylum Porifera) usually results in minimal effects or abrasions, except for species that produce crinitoxins and can cause irritation and dermatitis. There are few reports of sponge stings, mainly in divers or collectors. We report a group of sponge stings from handling flame red/orange sponges on the beach, confirmed to be Tedania anhelans in five cases. All seven patients...
Outdated nomenclature and incorrect taxonomic characterisation of snake venoms in the current toxinological literature have serious implications for the replicability of results from snake venom toxin research. The situation has not improved, despite attempts to supply toxinologists with regular updates on snake systematics. Here, we demonstrate the successful extraction of DNA, and subsequent sequencing...
Two peptide toxins, acrorhagin I (50 residues) and II (44 residues), were isolated from special aggressive organs (acrorhagi) of the sea anemone Actinia equina by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 and reverse-phase HPLC on TSKgel ODS-120T. The LD 50 against crabs of acrorhagin I and II were estimated to be 520 and 80μg/kg, respectively. 3′- and 5′-RACE established the amino acid sequences of...
Crotamine is one of four major components of the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. Similar to its counterparts in the family of the myotoxins, it induces myonecrosis of skeletal muscle cells. This paper describes a new NMR structure determination of crotamine in aqueous solution at pH 5.8 and 20°C, using standard homonuclear 1 H NMR spectroscopy at 900MHz...
Bothrops asper venom (BaV) causes systemic and local effects characterized by an acute inflammatory reaction with accumulation of leukocytes and release of endogenous mediators. In this study, the effects of BaV on the release of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α and the eicosanoids LTB 4 and TXA 2 in the peritoneal cavity of mice were analyzed. We also investigated the participation...
Role of perivascular afferents for the cardiorespiratory alterations produced by Mesobuthus tamulus (BT) envenomation was examined in urethane-anaesthetized male rats. Blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) were recorded after injecting BT venom/saline in the distal end of femoral artery for 60min. In addition, paw oedema was also determined. Injection of venom produced an...
ACFI is an anticoagulant C-type lectin-like protein (CLP) isolated from Agkistrodon acutus venom. To investigate the function of ACFI and its subunits, the cDNAs of two subunits were transformed and expressed in Pichia pastoris separately or together by a novel strategy using two vectors with different selectable markers. The results showed that recombinant homodimers were secreted when the subunits...
Flavonoids are potent anti-inflammatory compounds isolated from several plant extracts, and have been used experimentally against inflammatory processes. In this work, a PLA 2 isolated from the Crotalus durissus cascavella venom and rat paw oedema were used as a model to study the effect of flavonoids on PLA 2 . We observed that a treatment of PLA 2 with morin induces several...
The authors report a spiny dogfish (Squalus cubensis/megalops group) sting of a professional fisherman. He was injured on the left hand by the spine anterior to the fish's dorsal fin and manifested local edema, erythema, and excruciating pain for 6h. Sharks of the genus Squalus megalops/cubensis and Squalus acanthias are found throughout the world; they have two spines in front of their dorsal fins...
Caprylic acid purification of IgG, currently used in the manufacture of horse-derived antivenoms, was successfully adapted for the preparation of sheep and camel IgG. Sheep IgG had a molecular mass of ∼150kDa, whereas camel IgG presented two bands of molecular masses of ∼160 and 100kDa, the latter corresponding to heavy-chain IgG, which is devoid of light chains. Horse, sheep and camel IgGs were compared...
Habu serum factor (HSF) is a metalloproteinase inhibitor that is isolated from the serum of habu snake (Trimeresurus flavoviridis), and it can suppress snake venom-induced hemorrhage. In the present study, the inhibitory property and fundamental structure of HSF were analyzed in detail. HSF inhibited all the hemorrhagic and most of the non-hemorrhagic metalloproteinases tested from the venoms of T...
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