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An electric method to obtain Loxosceles spider venom
Taxlaai, VoL 18,pp. 2~Z4. ® Panfamon Pr~Ltd. 191~. Prloted In Snat~ad.
0041-0101/BO/0301-0224"02.00/0
AN ELECTRIC METHOD TO OBTAIN LOXOSCELES SPIDER VENOM Lus
BASCUR, ISMAEL
Ysvsxhs and Huco ADRIAN
Depirtameato de Bioquimica y Departamento de Fisiologia y Bioflsic8, Facultad de Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 6671, Santiago 7, Chile (Accepted for publtcatfon 10 September 1979)
the methods that have bcen used to obtain spider venom, the most usual are to surgically remove the spider's venom gland or the use of electrical stimulation (SMITH and Mlcxs,1968). The former presents two problems, each spider can be used only once and the material obtained is a mixture of venom and gland structures that makes it difficult to interpret the results (M>~DOws and RUSSELL, 1970). The second method involves the use of electrical stimulation of the spider through electrodes located in the cephalothorax over the glandular areas. SMITH and Mlcxs (1968) applied a stimulus of 200 V and MORRIS and RussE1.I. (1975) used stimulation of 60 V. The advantage of these methods is that they provide pure or almost pure venom; the disadvantage is the high mortality rate, which fluctuates between 90 and 100 ~. We describe the following method : The Loxosceles laeta spiders were anesthetized with COZ and fixed with rubber bands on a copper plate moistened with physiological saline solution. A fine stainless steel electrode (200 llm dia) was placed slightly inside the spiders chelicerae. The output of a stimulator was connected to the electrode and to the copper plate ; a stimulus of 1-2 V was applied for 1 sec. Spider venom came out from chelicerae as small drops which were collected with a micromanipulated pipette. For female and male venoms, respectively, mean wet weights were 035 and 015 mg. Mortality rate was 6~ for the first milking, 10~ for the second and 20 ~ for the third milking. It is not known if this degree ofstimulation causes contraction of the spiders other salivary glands as noted by MEADOWS and RUSSELL (1970). AMONG
R~1~?R RIVCES M>~nows, P. E . and RuasEU., F. E. (1970) Milking of arthropods . Toxicaon 8, 311 . Moluna R. L. (1975) The venom of the brown recluse spider Loxosceles recluse : compositioa, properties and an improved method of procunemeat. Fed lioc. 34, 225 . 31~ra, C. W. and Mlcxs, D. W. (1968) A oompalative study of the venom and other compounds of three species oP Loxosceles. .loser. !. 7Yop. reed. f7yg. 17, 651 .
0041-0101/BO/0301-0224"02.00/0
AN ELECTRIC METHOD TO OBTAIN LOXOSCELES SPIDER VENOM Lus
BASCUR, ISMAEL
Ysvsxhs and Huco ADRIAN
Depirtameato de Bioquimica y Departamento de Fisiologia y Bioflsic8, Facultad de Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 6671, Santiago 7, Chile (Accepted for publtcatfon 10 September 1979)
the methods that have bcen used to obtain spider venom, the most usual are to surgically remove the spider's venom gland or the use of electrical stimulation (SMITH and Mlcxs,1968). The former presents two problems, each spider can be used only once and the material obtained is a mixture of venom and gland structures that makes it difficult to interpret the results (M>~DOws and RUSSELL, 1970). The second method involves the use of electrical stimulation of the spider through electrodes located in the cephalothorax over the glandular areas. SMITH and Mlcxs (1968) applied a stimulus of 200 V and MORRIS and RussE1.I. (1975) used stimulation of 60 V. The advantage of these methods is that they provide pure or almost pure venom; the disadvantage is the high mortality rate, which fluctuates between 90 and 100 ~. We describe the following method : The Loxosceles laeta spiders were anesthetized with COZ and fixed with rubber bands on a copper plate moistened with physiological saline solution. A fine stainless steel electrode (200 llm dia) was placed slightly inside the spiders chelicerae. The output of a stimulator was connected to the electrode and to the copper plate ; a stimulus of 1-2 V was applied for 1 sec. Spider venom came out from chelicerae as small drops which were collected with a micromanipulated pipette. For female and male venoms, respectively, mean wet weights were 035 and 015 mg. Mortality rate was 6~ for the first milking, 10~ for the second and 20 ~ for the third milking. It is not known if this degree ofstimulation causes contraction of the spiders other salivary glands as noted by MEADOWS and RUSSELL (1970). AMONG
R~1~?R RIVCES M>~nows, P. E . and RuasEU., F. E. (1970) Milking of arthropods . Toxicaon 8, 311 . Molu