Two new arthropod toxins purified from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides nigrescens

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  Two new arthropod toxins purified from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides nigrescens Abstract The venom of the slender black scorpion Centruroides nigrescens , from the State of Guerrero México, was fractionated by Sephadex G–50 gel filtration, followed by carboxymethyl cellulose ion separation and high–performance liquid chromatography, permitting to obtain two new peptides toxic to arthropods. The estimate LD 50 of the soluble venom for the insect Acheta domesticus was 11.1 μg/g body weight, and for the arthropod Armadillidium vulgare was 61.1 μg body weight . The amino acid sequence of toxin Cnige1 (toxic to A. domesticus and A. vulgare ) contains 65 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 7273.37 mass units, whereas toxin Cnige2, toxic to A. domesticus , contains 68 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 7548.81 units. Both peptides are well packed, containing 8 cysteines, which in the native venoms are forming 4 disulfide bridges each. The amino acid sequences f...

Scorpion Toxicity (Healthcare Continuing Education CME)

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Scorpion Toxicity (Healthcare Continuing Education CME)


Continuing Education Activity

Scorpions are a common arthropod found on every continent except Antarctica. Scorpions may use their long, flexible tails to sting potential predators. Often, individuals unknowingly come into contact with scorpions and are stung, causing painful sensations associated with envenomation. This activity describes the presentation, pathophysiology, and treatment of scorpion stings and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in improving care for affected patients.

Objectives:

  • Describe the types of scorpion envenomation and associated toxicity of each species.
  • Review the signs and symptoms of scorpion envenomation.
  • Summarize the treatment of scorpion envenomation.

Shamoon Z, Peterfy RJ, Hammoud S, et al. Scorpion Toxicity. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430928/