Sur les neurotoxines de deux especes de scorpions nord-africains. II—Proprietes des neurotoxines (Scorpamines) d'Androctonus australis (L.) et de Buthus occitanus (Am.)

Toxicology of Androctonus scorpion

The following paper is a summary of studies of the biology of the Androctonus scorpion and its toxicology. A materia medica based on human envenomation by Androctonus is also provided.

Epidemiology of scorpionism: a global appraisal

The scorpionism is an actual public health problem in several parts of the world because, either incidence, or severity of envenomations is high and managed with difficulty by health services, or for these two reasons at the same time. The treatment of scorpion envenomation is complex and controversial, in particular regarding the utility of the antivenoms and symptomatic treatments that must be associated. The authors reviewed the literature of last 30 years to discuss the epidemiologic importance of scorpionism and to point out the principal therapeutic or preventive measures. According to the most recent studies, seven areas were identified as at risk: north-Saharan Africa, Sahelian Africa, South Africa, Near and Middle-East, South India, Mexico and South Latin America, east of the Andes. These involve 2.3 billion at risk population. The annual number of scorpion stings exceeds 1.2 million leading to more than 3250 deaths (0.27%). Although adults are more often concerned, children experience more severe envenomations and among them, mortality is higher. Improvement of therapeutic management would reduce the lethality very significantly.

Isolation and characterization of toxic proteins from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus

Through gel filtration on Sephadex G-25 and chromatography on CM-cellulose-52 five toxic proteins, electrophoretically pure, were isolated from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus and partially characterized, as follows: 1. Toxin T1 VIII, with 61 amino acid residues, mol. wt 6675 and amino terminal sequence Lys-Glx-Gly-Tyr-Leu-Met-Asx-His-Glx-Gly-Cys-Lys-; 2. Toxin T1VI with amino acid residues, mol. wt. 7549 and amino terminal sequence Gly-His-Phe-Gly-Lys; 3. Toxin T2III(I), with 63 amino acid residues, mol. wt. 7216 and amino terminal sequence Lys-Lys-Asx-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Val-Cys-Cys-Ser-; 4. Toxin T2IV, which is apparently identical to toxin T1VIII above, since it showed the same elution volume in chromatography on CM-cellulose-52, the same N-terminal Lys and the same electrophoretic mobility as T1VIII; 5. Toxin T1IV, a not previously described toxin from the venom of T. serrulatus, with 45 amino acid residues, mol. wt. 5188 and amino terminal sequence Lys-Glx-Gly-Tyr-Leu-, identical to the first five residues of T1VIII, although with a lower molecular weight. The pharmacological study of T1VIII in guinea pig vas deferens showed a pre-junctional sensitizing action, evidenced by a decrease of the dose-response curves to adrenaline and acetylcholine, with no increase of the maximum. This effect may be due to the liberation of noradrenaline.

Investigations on the venom of the South Indian scorpion Heterometrus scaber

The enzymes from the venom of Heterometrus scaber, the indole compounds present and the toxic protein of the venom have been studied. The venom contains acid phosphatase, ribonuclease, 5'-nucleotidase, hyaluronidase, acetylcholine esterase and phospholipase. A. The indole compounds present in the venom have been identified as 5-hydroxytryptophan, tryptophan, serotonin and tryptamine, along with two unidentified indole compounds. The venom produces hyperglycaemia in sublethal doses and this has been found to be due to increased adrenaline secretion. The toxic protein of the venom has been obtained in a pure form by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, followed by fractional precipitation with acetone and chromatography over DEAE-Sephadex. The toxic fraction has been found to be homogeneous on acrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is a glycoprotein (molecular weight 15 000) containing 1.74% glucosamine, 0.87% galactosamine, 0.313% sialic acid, 3.25% fucose and 0.45% of an unidentified neutral sugar. It did not show any enzyme activities, haemolytic activity or inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase activity but it produced hyperglycaemia in sublethal doses. The toxic level (intravenous administration in rats) was found to be 0.72 mg/kg body weight.