TY - JOUR
T1 - Centrally injected tityustoxin produces the systemic manifestations observed in severe scorpion poisoning
AU - Bernanos, Michel
AU - Moraes-Santos, T
AU - Moraes, M F D
PY - 2003/2/15
Y1 - 2003/2/15
N2 - In this work we submitted adult male Wistar rats to intracerebroventricular (icv) and iv microinjections of the fraction tityostoxin (TsTX) from the Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom, to address whether the CNS could account for the systemic alterations previously reported: cardiac arrhythmias, lung edema, and seizures. Animals were injected icv, total volume of 1.0 mul, with either sterile saline (n = 4) or differing doses of TsTX (1.74, n = 5; 0.174, n = 4; 0.087, n = 5; and 0.058 mug, n = 4). The peripheral effect of the highest dose of TsTX used (1.74 mug) was tested through iv injections in the femoral vein (n = 4). All animals were recorded by a Video EEG/ECG system for a maximum period of 90 mins or until death. After recording, the lungs were harvested and weighed to evaluate edema (lung/body wt X 100). Our results show that icv injections of TsTX, but not iv injections, were able to provoke heart arrhythmias, lung edema, and seizures. Furthermore, the toxin was capable of producing epileptiform discharges in all animals injected with 1.74 mug of the toxin. In conclusion, the action of TsTX in the CNS may solely account for the peripheral alterations observed in severe cases of Tityus serrulatus scorpion poisoning.
AB - In this work we submitted adult male Wistar rats to intracerebroventricular (icv) and iv microinjections of the fraction tityostoxin (TsTX) from the Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom, to address whether the CNS could account for the systemic alterations previously reported: cardiac arrhythmias, lung edema, and seizures. Animals were injected icv, total volume of 1.0 mul, with either sterile saline (n = 4) or differing doses of TsTX (1.74, n = 5; 0.174, n = 4; 0.087, n = 5; and 0.058 mug, n = 4). The peripheral effect of the highest dose of TsTX used (1.74 mug) was tested through iv injections in the femoral vein (n = 4). All animals were recorded by a Video EEG/ECG system for a maximum period of 90 mins or until death. After recording, the lungs were harvested and weighed to evaluate edema (lung/body wt X 100). Our results show that icv injections of TsTX, but not iv injections, were able to provoke heart arrhythmias, lung edema, and seizures. Furthermore, the toxin was capable of producing epileptiform discharges in all animals injected with 1.74 mug of the toxin. In conclusion, the action of TsTX in the CNS may solely account for the peripheral alterations observed in severe cases of Tityus serrulatus scorpion poisoning.
U2 - 10.1016/S0041-008X(02)00036-4
DO - 10.1016/S0041-008X(02)00036-4
M3 - Article
SN - 0041-008X
VL - 187
SP - 58
EP - 66
JO - Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
JF - Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
IS - 1
M1 - N/A
ER -