The novel insecticidal toxin, LaIT2, was isolated from venom of the scorpion Liocheles australasiae. The amino acid sequence of LaIT2 was determined by an Edman degradation analysis and subsequent cDNA cloning. LaIT2 is composed of 59 amino acids with three disulfide bridges, and shares sequence similarity to the scorpion beta-KTx peptides.

Scorpionism is a known significant problem of medical and social importance in many tropical and subtropical regions including the Middle East. In Iran, highest prevalence of scorpion sting about 60% of all the stings has been reported from Khuzestan province. Among the 21,000 cases of reported scorpion stung patients, 12% were caused by H. lepturus, but contributed to 95% of all moralities in ...

background : antivenom is still widely used in the treatment of envenomation as there are no vaccines or other effective agents available against animal venoms. recently, neurotoxins named birtoxin family have been described from parabuthus transvaalicus and androctonus crassicauda. the aim of the present study was to test the antibirtoxin antibodies for their ability to neutralize the lethal e...

The holotype of the Emperor Scorpion Pandinus imperator (C.L. Koch, 1841) was long believed to have been lost. In 2015, as scientists at the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart were digitizing its entomological collections, they rediscovered the specimen on which Koch had based his description of the scorpion in 1841.

Scorpion stings are a public health problem in many countries including Morocco. Cutaneous manifestations are rare, mainly local or loco-regional, exceptionally generalized. We report a case of photosensitization mimicking hydroa vacciniforme after scorpion sting, not yet described in the literature.

Cytotoxic peptides are relatively small cationic molecules such as those found 1) in venoms, e.g., melittin in bee, scorpion toxins in scorpion, pilosulin 1 in jumper ant, and lycotoxin I and II in wolf spider; 2) in skin secretions (e.g., magainin I and II from Xenopus laevis, dermaseptin from frog, antimicrobials from carp) and cells of the immune system (e.g., insect, scorpion, and mammalian...

Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom has been identified as a natural extract with anticancer potential. Interestingly, this scorpion venom does not cause adverse symptoms in humans. However, there is scarce information about its composition and enzymatic activity. In this work, we determined the electrophoretic profile of the venom, the gelatinase and caseinolytic activity, and the phospholipase ...

Scorpion stings are common in Iran, particularly in the southern and southwest regions of the country, and they pose a serious health problem. Hemiscorpius lepturus is the most venomous scorpion in the region. The present study was conducted to investigate the in vivo effects of scorpion venom in experimental mice. Haematological parameters (white and red blood cells numbers and haematocrit lev...