Spider venom peptides Ht1a and Gg1a are toxic to honeybee parasite Varroa destructor by topical application

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  Spider venom peptides Ht1a and Gg1a are toxic to honeybee parasite Varroa destructor by topical application Abstract Global food supply strongly depends on honeybee pollination services, which are threatened by insecticides and pests such as parasitic Varroa destructor mites. Chemical varroacides/acaricides are hampered by resistance development, necessitating the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives, with arthropod venom peptides being considered promising sources of acaricidal toxins. With only a few acaricidal venom peptides being reported, we performed a systematic topical screening of 50 arthropod venoms against V. destructor , with 78% of the venoms causing 100% mortality after 24 h. Deconvolution of the venoms from the Tasmanian cave spider Hickmania troglodytes and the Giant Japanese funnel-web spider Gigathele gigas led to identification of the varroacidal peptides Ht1a and Gg1a. Topical application of Ht1a and Gg1a reduced varroa mite ...

Evaluation of some blood chemistry parameters caused by different venom doses of Tityus and Centruroides scorpion species from Panama

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Evaluation of some blood chemistry parameters caused by different venom doses of Tityus and Centruroides scorpion species from Panama

Abstract

Medically important scorpions in Panama belong to the Tityus and Centruroides genus, including species such as Tityus (Atreus) sp., T. championi, T. festae, C. bicolor, and C. limbatus, which can cause blood chemistry alterations. Therefore, obtaining data through experimental models is crucial for understanding scorpion envenomation. Five scorpion venoms were individually inoculated intravenously into mice (CD-1 strain;18 to 20 g) at doses ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 LD50 for each scorpion venom. The control group received only a 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Blood samples were obtained by intracardiac puncture and were analyzed at times from 5, 15, 30 minutes, 1, 3, and 24 h. Serum glucose, amylase, CK, CK-MB, creatinine, urea nitrogen, sodium, and potassium levels were determined. It was found that Panamanian scorpion venoms can cause pancreatic damage, as indicated by an increase in glucose and amylase levels, as well as cardiac and muscle damage, as indicated by an increase in the blood concentration of CK and CK-MB enzymes. The renal function could also be affected by the increase in creatinine and urea nitrogen. Concerning electrolyte levels, only sodium showed an increase compared to the control, but potassium showed a decrease in concentration levels. These findings could contribute to the efficient management of scorpionism in Panama’s emergency health services.
Morán-González, M., De Patiño, H. A., Corzo, G., Romero, E., & Gómez-Leija, L. (2025). Evaluation of some blood chemistry parameters caused by different venom doses of Tityus and Centruroides scorpion species from Panama. Toxicon, 108331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108331