Combining Thiophene-Triazole Hybrids with Bothropic Antivenom to Enhance Its Inhibitory Effect Against the Coagulant Activity of Bothrops Jararaca, B. Neuwiedi, and B. Jararacussu Snake Venoms

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  By Leandro Avelar - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49733697 Combining Thiophene-Triazole Hybrids with Bothropic Antivenom to Enhance Its Inhibitory Effect Against the Coagulant Activity of Bothrops Jararaca, B. Neuwiedi, and B. Jararacussu Snake Venoms Abstract Introduction:   Snakebite envenomation causes approximately 5 million incidents, 130,000 deaths, and 400,000 amputations annually worldwide. Thus, the objective of this work was to assess the ability of 16 thiophene-triazole hybrid compounds ( 6a – 6h  and  7a – 7h ) to inhibit the coagulant activity of  Bothrops jararaca ,  B. neuwiedi , and  B. jararacussu  venoms in combination with commercial antibothropic antivenom. Method: In the experimental prevention protocol, human plasma or commercial fibrinogen was incubated for 60 seconds at 37°C with the study compounds, with or without antivenom, followed by the addition of snake venoms. In the ...

Scorpion venom cytolytic peptide Smp43 induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3

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Scorpion venom cytolytic peptide Smp43 induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3

ABSTRACT

Ovarian cancer ranks as the sixth most prevalent type of gynecological cancer. Smp43, a cationic antimicrobial peptide isolated from the scorpion venom of Scorpio maurus palmatus, exhibits notable antibacterial, against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and antifungal activities. This study evaluates the anti-cancer efficacy of Smp43 and examines its effects on cell viability, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, necrosis, and oxidative stress in a human ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR-3). Smp43 significantly reduced the viability of OVCAR-3 cells compared to the normal fibroblast cell line WI-38, with IC50 values of 7.75 µg/mL and 29.50 µg/mL, respectively. The peptide effectively caused G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in OVCAR-3 cells. It modulated apoptotic markers by downregulating the pro-survival marker Bcl-2 while upregulating the pro-apoptotic markers Bax, p53, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9. Additionally, Smp43 significantly increased DNA fragmentation in OVCAR-3 cells and decreased antioxidant parameters. These findings suggest that Smp43 possesses potential anti-ovarian carcinoma properties, exerting its effects through mechanisms involving apoptosis induction, necrosis, G1 cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of the antioxidant defense system.

Hussein, S. I., Gerges, M. M., Al-Awadhi, R. M., Nafie, M. S., Abdel-Nabi, I. M., Sharma, P. P., & Abdel-Rahman, M. A. (2025). Scorpion venom cytolytic peptide Smp43 induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 12(1), 300–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/2314808X.2025.2555776