Barietin, a snake venom vascular endothelial growth factor from puff adder Bitis arietans venom, increases the heart rate with minor effect on blood pressure in rats

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  Barietin, a snake venom vascular endothelial growth factor from puff adder Bitis arietans venom, increases the heart rate with minor effect on blood pressure in rats ABSTRACT Snake venom vascular endothelial growth factors (svVEGFs) are homodimeric proteins comprising two equal subunits bound by two intermolecular disulfide bonds. The main biological effects of svVEGFs are local vasodilatation, increasing of vascular permeability, and hypotension. Barietin, a svVEGF purified from the venom of puff adder Bitis arietans , differs from other representatives of this toxin family by its shortened C-terminal amino acid sequence. No data about barietin effects on hemodynamics are available. Studying those in rats we found that barietin at a dose of 1 mg/kg significantly increased heart rate, exerting only a minor influence on blood pressure. In this respect, it differs from other svVEGFs having a significant effect on blood pressure. We aimed to find the barietin active fragment which m...

A New Species of Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) from Southeastern Iran

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A New Species of Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) from Southeastern Iran

Abstract

Despite the presence of scorpions in most parts of Iran, limited studies have been conducted in some places with a high frequency of scorpions. In this study, scorpion samples collected from Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeast of Iran, during 2022 and 2023 were investigated. Sampling identified eight species belonging to seven genera from the Buthidae family. These are Androctonus rostami Barahoei, 2025, A. sistanus Barahoei & Mirshamsi, 2022, Compsobuthus yagi Barahoei sp. n., Hottentotta sistanensis Kovarik et al., 2018, Mesobuthus rakhshanii Barahoei, 2022, Odontobuthus tirgari Mirshamsi et al., 2013, Orthochirus persa (Birula, 1900) and Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900). Compsobuthus yagi Barahoei sp. n. was collected and is described from north Zahedan based on morphologic and molecular (COI) studies. Four species for the fauna of Zahedan County, three species for the fauna of Mirjaveh County, and two species for the fauna of Khash and Hirmand counties are new reports. Diagnostic characters of new species and new records are provided. Phylogeny of the new species is discussed.

Vahidinia, F., Ravan, S. & Barahoei, H. A New Species of Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) from Southeastern Iran. Proc Zool Soc (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12595-025-00562-8