Scorpion venom-induced discharge of catecholamines accompanied by hypertension: Moss, J., Kazic, T.,...
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Maas, J., K~ztc, T ., HrtcntY, D. P . and Koran, I. J. (Lab. of tr7in . Sci., Nat. last . Ment. Health, Hethesda, Md . 20014, U .SA). Scorpion venom-i»duoed discharge of cataholamines accom- panied by hypotemion . Brain Ra . S4, 381, 1973 . Morrow oa the scorpion Leirarrs grrfirqarstrictrv was igjected intravenously into anesthetized (tusthane) normal and adfenalectomixed rats following administration of the ganglionic blocko itatarnethonium chloride and of atropine. Blood pressure and serum attxholamioes were measured prior and subsequent to ittjation of the venom . Mean blood pressure was increased substantially by venom in both groups of rats to approximately the same final levels. In addition, circulating catecholamifta also increased markedly after venom igjxtion in both groups, with a greater increase in normal than in adrenalatottriud aniatals : it is estimated that about 50 per ant of the ittctt:ase in normal animals was due to adrenal discharge and the raftainder to sympatóetic discharge. Because these efforts occur in the ptesance of hexamethooium chloride, it is believed that the attxholamine discharge is due to a direct effort of the venom rather than to secondary effects of cholinergic discharge. P .R .S. Sruv~~reaa~, P . M. and Moose, W . J . (Indiana University, Chemical Laboratory, Blooming ton, Indiana 47401, U.S .A .) . Hinding of (iut]~-bungamtoxin to particulate fractions of rat and guinea pig brain . Blochern . blophys. Res. Corrtmrrn. SS, 1311, 1973. lODIIVAI'ED a-bungarotoxin was prepared and used in studies of binding sites in particulate fractions of cerebral cortex tissue from the rat and the guinea pig. Binding capacity was measured with brain particulate preparations from animals in the age range 1-40 days . Postnatal development Icads to a graded inatase of receptor loci in the rat, reaching a plateau near 20 days in terms of binding capacity per wet weight of tissue. When assayed in rerun of receptors per unit weight of protein, the protein specific activity peaks near 10 days in the rat, and then declines to a constant value . The toxin receptors are adduced to be nicotinic acetyl- cholirte receptors, and arc assayed at plateau levels for the rat and guinea pig, respectively, at 3"4 and 2~1 pmolc/g of brain tissue. SLF MITRAICUL, C . (Department of Pcdiatria, Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand) . Effects of green pit vipers (Tilrrreresurru nyrhurus and Trimeresuruf popeorum) vcnorns on blood coagulation, platelets and the ftbrinolytic enzyme systems. Studies to vivo and In vitro . Arn. J. c/l n. Path. 60, 654, 1973 . Twerrrv children were bitten in Thailand ; thirteen of them by green vipers and seven by unidentified snakes . Local and systemic symptoms were observed in ten arses and local symptoms only in seven patients. Clinical pictures varied from local swelling and bail subcutaneous hemorrhage, with or without blister formation, to systemic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, thirst, bleeding from fetttote mucasal surfaces, tachyaifdia, hypoenion, fable pulse and lethargy oaxsionally associated with shock . The most striking abnormalities were deficiencies of plasma fbrinogen and the increased euglobulin clot lysis activity . Modifiattiom in their clotting factors, such as Factors lI, V, Vll, Vlll, IX and X, were minimal and variable :. Low platelet counts were observed in three arses, and these presented low fibrinogen levels in the plasma, but the same deficiency oaurrcd in other ages without thrombocytopenia. Decfrase of fibrinogen and increase of clot lysis activity were not always cofiamütant. The venoms wire shown to possess thrombin-like clotting activity but differing from thrombin for it was not modified by heparin ; indirect flbrinolytic activity In rlrro, and this ftbrinolytic action was inhibited by epsilon-aminocaproic acid and Trasylol ; direct aggregation effect on platelets In rirro . To treat these patients with heparin or rpailon-aminocaproic acid or Trasylol would be of doubtful value . The rnnventional combination of antivcnom serumand corticosteroids appears still to be an effective rrKasurc . G.R . Atn~, K., Httttr~, T ., Oerhen, Y ., H~sttrworo, Y. and RANDALL, J . E. (Laboratory of Fish Physiology, Faculty of Agricultuf+e, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan). Structure of the skin of the soapfuh Pogortoprrea panelara . Bull. Jap. Soe. srieru. Fish. 39, 1351, 1973. Runcorn ona light microscopy study of the skin of one of the soapfishes . The authors conclude that the all typo arc very similar to those seen in Crarrirnlsres sexllrtearru. ro.rrcoN ro~~ vor. r . F .E.R .
Transcript of Scorpion venom-induced discharge of catecholamines accompanied by hypertension: Moss, J., Kazic, T.,...
Maas, J., K~ztc, T., HrtcntY, D. P. and Koran, I. J. (Lab. of tr7in . Sci., Nat. last . Ment. Health,Hethesda, Md. 20014, U.SA). Scorpion venom-i»duoed discharge of cataholamines accom-
panied by hypotemion. Brain Ra . S4, 381, 1973 .
Morrow oa the scorpion Leirarrs grrfirqarstrictrv was igjected intravenously into anesthetized (tusthane)normal and adfenalectomixed rats following administration of the ganglionic blocko itatarnethoniumchloride and of atropine. Blood pressure and serum attxholamioes were measured prior and subsequentto ittjation of the venom.
Mean blood pressure was increased substantially by venom in both groups of rats to approximatelythe same final levels. In addition, circulating catecholamifta also increased markedly after venom igjxtionin both groups, with a greater increase in normal than in adrenalatottriud aniatals : it is estimated thatabout 50 per ant of the ittctt:ase in normal animals was due to adrenal discharge and the raftainder tosympatóetic discharge. Because these efforts occur in the ptesance of hexamethooium chloride, it is believedthat the attxholamine discharge is due to a direct effort of the venom rather than to secondary effects ofcholinergic discharge.
P.R .S.
Sruv~~reaa~, P. M. and Moose, W. J. (Indiana University, Chemical Laboratory, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, U.S.A .) . Hinding of (iut]~-bungamtoxin to particulate fractions of rat
and guinea pig brain . Blochern . blophys. Res. Corrtmrrn. SS, 1311, 1973.
lODIIVAI'ED a-bungarotoxin was prepared and used in studies of binding sites in particulate fractions ofcerebral cortex tissue from the rat and the guinea pig. Binding capacity was measured with brain particulatepreparations from animals in the age range 1-40 days . Postnatal development Icads to a graded inatase ofreceptor loci in the rat, reaching a plateau near 20days in terms of binding capacity per wet weight of tissue.When assayed in rerun ofreceptors per unit weight ofprotein, the protein specific activity peaks near 10 daysin the rat, and then declines to a constant value. The toxin receptors are adduced to be nicotinic acetyl-cholirte receptors, and arc assayed at plateau levels for the rat and guinea pig, respectively, at 3"4 and 2~1pmolc/g of brain tissue.
SLF
MITRAICUL, C. (Department of Pcdiatria, Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Bangkok,Thailand) . Effects of green pit vipers (Tilrrreresurru nyrhurus and Trimeresuruf popeorum)vcnorns on blood coagulation, platelets and the ftbrinolytic enzyme systems. Studies to vivo
and In vitro . Arn. J. c/ln. Path. 60, 654, 1973 .
Twerrrv children were bitten in Thailand ; thirteen of them by green vipers and seven by unidentified snakes .Local and systemic symptoms were observed in ten arses and local symptoms only in seven patients. Clinicalpictures varied from local swelling and bail subcutaneous hemorrhage, with or without blister formation,to systemic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, thirst, bleeding fromfetttote mucasal surfaces, tachyaifdia, hypoenion, fable pulse and lethargy oaxsionally associated withshock.
The most striking abnormalities were deficiencies of plasma fbrinogen and the increased euglobulinclot lysis activity . Modifiattiom in their clotting factors, such as Factors lI, V, Vll, Vlll, IX and X, wereminimal and variable:. Low platelet counts were observed in three arses, and these presented low fibrinogenlevels in the plasma, but the same deficiency oaurrcd in other ages without thrombocytopenia. Decfraseoffibrinogen and increase of clot lysis activity were notalways cofiamütant.
The venoms wire shown to possess thrombin-like clotting activity but differing from thrombin for itwas not modified by heparin; indirect flbrinolytic activity In rlrro, and this ftbrinolytic action was inhibitedby epsilon-aminocaproic acid and Trasylol ; direct aggregation effect on platelets In rirro .
To treat these patients with heparin or rpailon-aminocaproic acid or Trasylol would be of doubtfulvalue . The rnnventional combination ofantivcnom serum and corticosteroids appears still to be an effectiverrKasurc .
G.R.
Atn~, K., Httttr~, T., Oerhen, Y., H~sttrworo, Y. and RANDALL, J. E. (Laboratory of FishPhysiology, Faculty of Agricultuf+e, University ofTokyo, Tokyo, Japan). Structure of the skin
ofthe soapfuh Pogortoprrea panelara . Bull. Jap. Soe. srieru. Fish. 39, 1351, 1973.
Runcorn on a light microscopy study of the skin of one of the soapfishes . The authors conclude that the alltypo arc very similar to those seen in Crarrirnlsres sexllrtearru.
ro.rrcoN ro~~ vor. r.
F.E .R .
