Stings from scorpions (Buthus tamulus) produce acute myocarditis and can result in death in children and adults. Acute myocarditis was induced in anaesthetised dogs by intravenous injection of 4 mg/kg venom (Buthus tamulus). Myocarditis was confirmed by ECG. Blood was collected before and 30 minutes after venom treatment and processed for osmotic fragility. An increase in osmotic fragility of r...

BACKGROUND: Mesobuthus eupeus is an indigenous scorpion species in Southwest Iran which is respon- sible for the majority of scorpion sting cases in Khuzestan province. OBJECTIVES: The effects of M. eupeus venom were investigated on the chief metabolic hormones in rats. METHODS: A total of 45 Albino male rats were ...

Communication between nerves and mast cells is a prototypic demonstration of neuroimmune interaction. However, whether mast cell activation occurs as a direct response to neuronal activation or requires an intermediary cell is unclear. Addressing this issue, we used an in vitro coculture approach comprising cultured murine superior cervical ganglia and rat leukemia basophilic cells (RBLs; posse...

Two novel antimicrobial peptides have been identified and characterized from venom of the African scorpion Pandinus imperator. The peptides, designated pandinin 1 and 2, are alpha-helical polycationic peptides, with pandinin 1 belonging to the group of antibacterial peptides previously described from scorpions, frogs and insects, and pandinin 2 to the group of short magainin-type helical peptid...

rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints as well as other organs in the body. adjuvant-induced arthritis models in inbred rats serve as relevant models for ra, having many clinical similarities to this disease. using honey bee venom as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is an ancient therapy in various parts of the world. however scorpion ve...

It is observed that some venom may have an anticancer effect. Hemiscorpius lepturus is a most dangerous scorpion in Iran. Heminecrolysin is the most toxic fraction of Hemiscorpius lepturus venom and it is responsible for hemolytic effects of the venom. In this research, we purified heminecrolysin by FPLC, and HPLC methods and used MTT assay in prostatic cancer cell line (PC3 cells). We observed...

Scorpion venom contains different types of peptides toxic to a variety of organisms whose molecular targets have been described as mainly ion-channels of excitable cells where they cause impairment of function. Based on mouse, cricket, and crustacean bioassays, specific toxins for each group of animals have been found. Chromatographic techniques were used to isolate and chemically characterize ...

Animal venom (e.g., scorpion) is a rich source of various protein and peptide toxins with diverse physio-/pharmaco-logical activities, which generally exert their action via target-specific modulation of different ion channel functions. Scorpion venoms are among the most widely-known source of peptidyl neurotoxins used for callipering different ion channels, such as; Na⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺, Cl(-), etc. A...

temporary paralysis is a rare manifestation of envenoming following the yellow iranian scorpion, odontobuthus doriae (o. doriae). thus, to elucidate the underlying mechanism, we investigated the neurotoxic effect of venom in the sciatic nerve, the possible mechanism in a mice model. the neurotoxicity and temperature effects in the venom-induced neurotoxicity were examined using the mouse sciati...

hemiscorpius lepturus is medically important scorpion species present in the south and southwest part of iran, causing morbidity and mortality in children and adults. unlike other scorpions studied so far, the venom of h. lepturus is highly cytotoxic, that can be a reason for its complexity in clinical manifestations in patients stung by this scorpion. scarce studies showed the mechanism involv...