title: Acid-base balance following Tityus serrulatus scorpion envenoming in anaesthetized rats.
abstract: In the present work the pH and arterial blood gases were measured in fasted and fed male albino rats, weighing 297 +/- 13 g, anaesthetized with urethane (1.4 g/kg, i.p.) before and after injection of T1 fraction from Titys serrulatus scorpion venom, during 60 min. Arterial blood samples were collected at 0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min for pH, pCO2, pO2, bicarbonate and base-excess analysis. The data showed that the scorpion toxin induced a continuous drop in the blood pH along the time. Hypercapnia and hypoxemia peaking at 30 min and followed by a recovery towards normal values at 60 min were also observed. A pronounced decrease in the blood bicarbonate levels at 60 min and negative base-excess values along with time were evident at 60 min. The comparisons between fasted and fed animals have shown that in the last group the effects of scorpion toxin on the arterial blood gases were less pronounced. We conclude that T1 fraction of Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom induces in anaesthetized rats an acute respiratory acidosis followed by metabolic acidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Mônico Magalhães
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Garbacio
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moraes-Santos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freire-Maia
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cunha-Melo
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000187:drug effects*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004435:Eating; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000187:drug effects; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D012604:Scorpion Venoms; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen