Venomics of the six-eyed sand spider, Sicarius rugosus (Araneae: Sicariidae), from the neotropical dry forest of Costa Rica

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  Venomics of the six-eyed sand spider, Sicarius rugosus (Araneae: Sicariidae), from the neotropical dry forest of Costa Rica Abstract Background Sicarius rugosus , the only member of the genus that inhabits Central America, is phylogenetically related to South American  Sicarius  spiders. These originated from a common ancestor with sister African species. Like  Loxosceles ,  Sicarius  exhibits venom phospholipase D activity due to a group of toxins known collectively as SicTox. Methods A gel-assisted, bottom-up, proteomic analysis was performed to characterize the venom composition of  S. rugosus . Hyaluronidase activity was determined using zymography. Results We identified several SicTox sequences, all classified as β-clade paralogs and sharing unique peptides with proteins from  S. patagonicus ,  S. peruensis,  and other species. Enzymes such as metalloproteinases, including putative astacins, carboxypeptidases, and angiotensin-conv...

The potential effect of Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion venom as an anti-parasitic medication for trichinello

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The potential effect of Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion venom as an anti-parasitic medication for trichinello

Abstract

Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic nematode with a complex life cycle and is recognized as a significant public health concern. Although Albendazole (ABZ) and Mebendazole are widely used to treat trichinellosis, natural products may offer safer and more effective alternatives. This study evaluated the efficacy of Leiurus quinquestriatus venom (LQV) as an anti-parasitic agent against T. spiralis infection in mice. The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of LQV was first determined in adult male CD1 mice, sixty mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15): non-infected, non-treated controls; infected, untreated controls; infected mice treated orally with ABZ (50 mg/kg); and infected mice treated intraperitoneally with LQV (0.03 mg/kg; 1/10 LD₅₀) for 15 days. At 7- and 35-day post-infection, adult worm and muscle larval burdens were evaluated. Serum interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were measured, and histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on intestinal and skeletal muscle tissues. Compared to untreated infected controls, LQV treatment led to a 55% reduction in adult worm burden and a 49% reduction in muscle larvae. Both ABZ and LQV significantly lowered IL-4 and IL-10 levels. Histological and immunohistochemical findings showed that LQV ameliorated infection-induced tissue inflammation and pathology. These results suggest that LQV exerts notable antiparasitic and immunomodulatory effects, potentially representing a promising natural alternative to conventional therapies for trichinellosis.
Salama, W., El-Naggar, S., Bakr, L. (2025). 'The potential effect of Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion venom as an anti-parasitic medication for trichinellosis', Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research, 11(2), pp. 417-431. doi: 10.21608/jbaar.2025.434315