Analgesic effect of Persian Gulf Conus textile venom.
OBJECTIVE
Cone snails are estimated to consist of up to 700 species. The venom of these snails has yielded a rich source of novel peptides. This study was aimed to study the analgesic effect of Persian Gulf Conus textile and its comparison with morphine in mouse model.


METHODS
Samples were collected in Larak Island. The venom ducts were Isolated and kept on ice then homogenized. The mixture centrifuged at 10000 × g for 20 min. Supernatant was considered as extracted venom. The protein profile of venom determined using 15% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Venom was administered intraperitoneally (IP) to evaluate the LD50 in Swiss albino mice. Different concentrations of Conus textile venom were injected intrathecally to mice to evaluate their analgesic effect in comparison to morphine. Injection was carried out between the L5 and L6 vertebrae. Differences between groups in the first and second phase were tested with Two-Way analysis of variance (ANOVA).


RESULTS
SDS-PAGE indicated 12 bands ranged between 6 and 180 KDa. Finally, ten ng of Conus crude venom showed the best analgesic activity in formalin test. No death observed up to 100 mg/kg. Analgesic activity of crude venom was more significant (P<0.05) in acute pain than inflammatory pain. The analgesic effect of 10 ng Conus venom was the same as morphine for reduction of inflammatory pain (P=0.27).


CONCLUSIONS
The venom of Persian Gulf Conus textile contains an analgesic component for reliving of acute pain which can lead to find an analgesic drug.
Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran.
Nasim
N
Tabaraki
Biotechnology Research Center, Department of Medical Biotechnology, Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran Iran.
Delavar
D
Shahbazzadeh
Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran.
Ali Mashinchian
AM
Moradi
Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran.
Gholamhossein
G
Vosughi
Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Tehran, Iran.
Pargol Ghavam
PG
Mostafavi
Analgesic activity; Conus textile; Persian gulf; Venom