Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
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Review
Venomous pelagic coelenterates: chemistry, toxicology, immunology and treatment of their stings.
Ten years have elapsed since our last review article on the toxicology of venomous pelagic coelenterates was published (Burnett and Calton, 1977). Investigation on important medusae and the chemistry of their nematocyst venoms have been expanding. The venomous jellyfish discussed here include the Portuguese man-o'war, (Physalia physalis), the sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri and/or Chiropsalmus quadrigatus), the cabbage head jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), the lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), the Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi), the Moreton Bay Carybdeid medusa (Morbakka), and the mauve blubber (Pelagia noctiluca).
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The simplified purification protocol established for the isolation of alpha-latrotoxin from the venom of the spider Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, has been employed for the purification of toxic components present in the venom of the spider Steatoda paykulliana. The venom of this spider, frequently mistaken for L. tredecimguttatus, is by tradition considered to cause an envenomation potentially dangerous to man. The venom of S. paykulliana has little toxic effect on guinea-pigs but is extremely toxic to houseflies (Musca domestica). ⋯ Antibodies against the whole L. tredecimguttatus venom gave a few positive cross-reactions in the immunodiffusion test with S. paykulliana venom gland extract indicating the presence of common molecular sequences in the two venoms. Polyclonal antibodies against alpha-latrotoxin did not cross-react in the immunodiffusion test with S. paykulliana venom extracts, nor in the immunofluorescence assay with its cephalothorax sections, thus suggesting that the venom glands do not contain alpha-latrotoxin. A partial characterization of S. paykulliana venom has been performed and a high molecular weight protein toxic to houseflies has been partially purified.
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Studies were conducted with isolated segments of pulmonary artery to characterize vessel contractility in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. Contractions of pulmonary artery segments from rats given monocrotaline in drinking water (20 mg/l) for up to 20 days were measured in tissue baths. Dose response curves were produced with norepinephrine or serotonin and the response to 120 mM potassium chloride (KCl) was measured. ⋯ In separate experiments using continuous exposure to monocrotaline, a minimum of 15 days treatment was required before contractile activity was significantly altered. Results indicate monocrotaline treatment reduces the contractile activity of muscular pulmonary artery. Alterations in vessel responsiveness were produced after a minimum of 4 days treatment with monocrotaline in drinking water (an estimated exposure of 14-20 mg/kg) but required 15-20 days to develop.