title: Some pharmacological effects of Tityus obscurus venom in rats and mice.
abstract: There are a great number of studies about Brazilian scorpions. However, little is known about the venom of scorpions of northern Brazil, mainly about Tityus obscurus, which is responsible for the most number of accidents in the Amazon. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate some pharmacological effects of T. obscurus venom in rats and mice. In rats, the venom (10 mg/kg i.p.) caused hemorrhagic patches in the lung parenchyma but did not lead to pulmonary edema. There was a decrease in general activity, observed in the activity box after venom injection. The venom did not induce changes in the occurrence and intensity of experimentally induced convulsions, nor did it cause hippocampal neuronal loss. In mice, the LD50obtained was 3.13 mg/kg (i.p.). Different doses of the venom (0.2; 1; 5; 10; 15 μg/30 μL per hind paw) induced edematogenic and moderate nociceptive activity in mice. The Tiyus serrulatus venom used as comparison caused more intense symptomatology in mice. Comparing to the venom of other Tityus scorpions of medical importance, that have convulsant and intense nociceptive effects and cause lung edema, as described in the literature, we can conclude that the venom of T. obscurus probably has different characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Paula Santos-da-Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Arthropods, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise Maria
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Candido
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Leonor A
authors.initials: ALA
authors.lastname: Nencioni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Louise F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Prezotto-Neto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katia Cristina
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Research, Integrated Tapajos College/Amazon University FIT/UNAMA, Rua Rosa Vermelha, 335, 68010-200, Santarém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hipócrates M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chalkidis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Butantan Institute, Av. Dr. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: vdorce@butantan.gov.br.
authors.forename: Valquíria Abrão Coronado
authors.initials: VAC
authors.lastname: Dorce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001938:Brazil; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012604:Scorpion Venoms
keywords: Envenomation; Scorpion venom; Tityus obscurus