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Prejunctional effects of a purified toxin from the scorpion Tityus serrulatus

Release of 3H-noradrenaline and enhancement of transmitter overflow elicited by nerve stimulation

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Summary

The effects of a purified fraction of the venom of the Brazilian scorpion, Tityus serrulatus, were studied in isolated guinea-pig atria previously labelled with 3H-noradrenaline. Exposure to 0.3 and 1.0 μ/ml of the scorpion toxin resulted in a long lasting positive chronotropic effect which was concentration-dependent. The increase in atrial rate coincided with an enhancement in spontaneous outflow of radioactivity. The increase in outflow of radioactive products elicited by exposure to 1.0 μg/ml of the scorpion toxin was approximately 3-fold. 3H-noradrenaline accounted for 60% of the total increase in outflow of radioactivity elicited by the scorpion toxin and the 3H-deaminated glycol (3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol) represented the main metabolite formed, accounting for approximately 35% of the total release. 20 min after exposure to 1.0 μg/ml of the scorpion toxin the overflow of the labelled transmitter elicited by accelerans nerve stimulation (4 Hz, during 60 sec, supramaximal voltage) was increased 8-fold. This effect of the scorpion toxin appears to be unrelated to inhibition of neuronal uptake, block of α-adrenoceptors or stimulation of β-adrenoceptors. Consequently, in addition to releasing noradrenaline, the scorpion toxin enhances transmitter overflow elicited by nerve stimulation through a prejunctional effect which appears to reflect a nove mechanism of action.

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Author notes

  1. A. P. Almeida (Research Fellow from the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas, Brazil)

    Present address: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

  2. C. R. Diniz

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas, CONICET, Junín 956-5° Piso, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    S. Z. Langer, E. Adler-Graschinsky, A. P. Almeida (Research Fellow from the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas, Brazil) & C. R. Diniz

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  1. S. Z. Langer
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  2. E. Adler-Graschinsky
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  3. A. P. Almeida
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  4. C. R. Diniz
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Langer, S.Z., Adler-Graschinsky, E., Almeida, A.P. et al. Prejunctional effects of a purified toxin from the scorpion Tityus serrulatus . Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 287, 243–259 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501471

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501471

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