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Scorpion venom and the cardiovascular system
134
Abstracts of Papers
observation of individual hornets (b) direct observation of entire colonies ; (c) recording flights to and from the nest using a photoelectric cell . The drugs were observed to affect hornet behavior in one or more of the following ways : stimulating or depressing mobility, reactivity, orientation and aggressiveness of individual hornet workers, or by changing certain features characteristic of their social behavior, such as building of cells, care for the nest and food exchange . In addition pathological symptoms and mortality were studied. A special activity-cage was designed in order to undertake a quantitative study of the motoric response of both nomad and drug treated hornets to electric stimuli of various durations and intensities. Gxo1-ro, L., JmusHnr.MV, Z. and ns Vxms, A., The RogoffWellcome Medical Research Institute, Benison Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel, Tel-Aviv University Medical School Effect of Pipera pakstiaae hemorrhagen on blood coagulation and platelet function Purified Trpera palestinae hemorrhagen was found to have diverse effects on blood coagulation process in vitro . It impaired thrombin fomration, fibrinogen clottability, fibrin stabilizing factor activity and various platelet functions such as clot retracting activity and ADP- and connective tissue-induced aggregation. These effects of the hemorrhagen became manifest or increased in intensity after incubation with the respective substrates . Inactivation of the proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagen by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) resulted in abolishment of most of these effects except that on platelet aggregation which was only partially inhibited. It is therefore assumed that the disturbances of the coagulation process are due to the proteolytic activity. Intracardial administration of the hemorrhagen to guinea pigs caused widespread hemorrhages associated with moderate hypofibrinogenemia while platelet count, clotting time and clot retraction remained normal . DFP-treated hemorrhagen caused hemorrhage without significant hypofibrinogenemia. It appears, therefore, that the proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagen is not primarily responsible for its hemorrhagec effect ; however, an aggravating role cannot be excluded. GUERON . M. and Y.+xoM, R., Negev Central Hospital, Cardiac Laboratory, Beersheva, and HadassahHebrew University Hospital, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Jerusalem, Israel Scorpion venom and the cardiovascular system Clinical and experimental evidence shows that scorpion venom may be cardiotoxic and produce marked sympathetic overactivity with excess secretion of catecholamines that initiate myocardial damage . The venom is believed to be mainly neurotoxic, however potent cardiovascular responses have been observed in man. This report reviews 34 patients with severe swrpion sting, and data related to the cardiovascular system are reviewed . The electrocardiograms of 28 patients were analysed and 14 showed an `early myocardial infarction-like pattern' . The urinary catecholamine metabolites were investigated in 22 patients . Nine patients died ; the pathological lesions of the myocardium are reviewed. The causes of the cardiovascular manifestations and the morphological changes of the myocardium are discussed. It is obvious from our observations that the cardiovascular responses of scorpion venom are related to the level of circulating catecholamines elicited by the effects of the venom on the sympathetic system . HAEERMEHI,, G., Technische Hochschule, Institut fi1r Organische Chemie, Darmstadt, Germany On the chemistry of the tom of the arrow poison frog, Derdrobates aaratws Frogs of the family Dendobatidae, occurring in Central and South America, contain in the skin glands a highly toxic poison, acting on the central nervous system. It is used by the native Indians as an arrow poison . In the course of intense investigations of these toxins we are concerned with the isolation, structure determination and synthesis of toxins from Dendrobrates awatus. The active principles are alkaloids, the basic stmcture of which is cis~lekahydro-quinnoline with various substituents in the ring system as well as in the side chain attached in wposition to the nitrogen atom. A stereospecific synthesis of Toxin C is reported, as well as mass spectrometric work on the toxins of Dendrobates Aistrionicus and Dendrobates prunilio . Hntsxann, B. W., ENGEN, P. C. and DANIEr30N, D. D., International Biotoxicological Center, World Life Research Institute, Colton, California, U.S .A. Morphology of the venom apparst~ of rabbitßshes, fsmr~y Teuthhlae The venom apparatus of rabbitfishes of the family Teuthidae is comprised of 13 dorsal spines, 7 anal spines, and 4 pelvic spines, their associated musculature, venom glands, and their enveloping sheaths.
Abstracts of Papers
observation of individual hornets (b) direct observation of entire colonies ; (c) recording flights to and from the nest using a photoelectric cell . The drugs were observed to affect hornet behavior in one or more of the following ways : stimulating or depressing mobility, reactivity, orientation and aggressiveness of individual hornet workers, or by changing certain features characteristic of their social behavior, such as building of cells, care for the nest and food exchange . In addition pathological symptoms and mortality were studied. A special activity-cage was designed in order to undertake a quantitative study of the motoric response of both nomad and drug treated hornets to electric stimuli of various durations and intensities. Gxo1-ro, L., JmusHnr.MV, Z. and ns Vxms, A., The RogoffWellcome Medical Research Institute, Benison Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel, Tel-Aviv University Medical School Effect of Pipera pakstiaae hemorrhagen on blood coagulation and platelet function Purified Trpera palestinae hemorrhagen was found to have diverse effects on blood coagulation process in vitro . It impaired thrombin fomration, fibrinogen clottability, fibrin stabilizing factor activity and various platelet functions such as clot retracting activity and ADP- and connective tissue-induced aggregation. These effects of the hemorrhagen became manifest or increased in intensity after incubation with the respective substrates . Inactivation of the proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagen by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) resulted in abolishment of most of these effects except that on platelet aggregation which was only partially inhibited. It is therefore assumed that the disturbances of the coagulation process are due to the proteolytic activity. Intracardial administration of the hemorrhagen to guinea pigs caused widespread hemorrhages associated with moderate hypofibrinogenemia while platelet count, clotting time and clot retraction remained normal . DFP-treated hemorrhagen caused hemorrhage without significant hypofibrinogenemia. It appears, therefore, that the proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagen is not primarily responsible for its hemorrhagec effect ; however, an aggravating role cannot be excluded. GUERON . M. and Y.+xoM, R., Negev Central Hospital, Cardiac Laboratory, Beersheva, and HadassahHebrew University Hospital, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Jerusalem, Israel Scorpion venom and the cardiovascular system Clinical and experimental evidence shows that scorpion venom may be cardiotoxic and produce marked sympathetic overactivity with excess secretion of catecholamines that initiate myocardial damage . The venom is believed to be mainly neurotoxic, however potent cardiovascular responses have been observed in man. This report reviews 34 patients with severe swrpion sting, and data related to the cardiovascular system are reviewed . The electrocardiograms of 28 patients were analysed and 14 showed an `early myocardial infarction-like pattern' . The urinary catecholamine metabolites were investigated in 22 patients . Nine patients died ; the pathological lesions of the myocardium are reviewed. The causes of the cardiovascular manifestations and the morphological changes of the myocardium are discussed. It is obvious from our observations that the cardiovascular responses of scorpion venom are related to the level of circulating catecholamines elicited by the effects of the venom on the sympathetic system . HAEERMEHI,, G., Technische Hochschule, Institut fi1r Organische Chemie, Darmstadt, Germany On the chemistry of the tom of the arrow poison frog, Derdrobates aaratws Frogs of the family Dendobatidae, occurring in Central and South America, contain in the skin glands a highly toxic poison, acting on the central nervous system. It is used by the native Indians as an arrow poison . In the course of intense investigations of these toxins we are concerned with the isolation, structure determination and synthesis of toxins from Dendrobrates awatus. The active principles are alkaloids, the basic stmcture of which is cis~lekahydro-quinnoline with various substituents in the ring system as well as in the side chain attached in wposition to the nitrogen atom. A stereospecific synthesis of Toxin C is reported, as well as mass spectrometric work on the toxins of Dendrobates Aistrionicus and Dendrobates prunilio . Hntsxann, B. W., ENGEN, P. C. and DANIEr30N, D. D., International Biotoxicological Center, World Life Research Institute, Colton, California, U.S .A. Morphology of the venom apparst~ of rabbitßshes, fsmr~y Teuthhlae The venom apparatus of rabbitfishes of the family Teuthidae is comprised of 13 dorsal spines, 7 anal spines, and 4 pelvic spines, their associated musculature, venom glands, and their enveloping sheaths.