Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of scorpion toxin (tityustoxin, TsTx) on the salivary gland of the rat, in vivo and in vitro

  • Histamine and Kinins
  • Published:
Agents and Actions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Intravenous injection of purified scorpion toxin (tityustoxin, TsTX) brings about the appearance of salivary flow and of kallikrein and amylase secretion in the saliva of rats. In experiments performed in vitro, using slices of parotid gland, a dose-response curve correlating tityustoxin concentration with kallikrein and amylase activities was obtained. The secretion of kallikrein is slower and smaller than that of amylase after up to 60 min of incubation. Experiments in which propranolol, phenoxybenzamine or atropine were injected into rats or added to parotid gland slices showed that the release of kallikrein is more dependent on cholinergic mechanisms, whereas the release of amylase is mainly related to adrenergic effects. Pre-treatment of the animals with reserpine confirms these results. The actions of tityustoxin on the kallikrein and amylase secretions, per min, are more effective than those by pilocarpine and isoproterenol, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. O. Magalhães,Escorpionismo, Monog. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz3, 1–220 (1946).

    Google Scholar 

  2. C.R. Diniz andV. Valeri,Effects of a Toxin Present in a Purified Extract of Telson from the Scorpion Tityus serrulatus on Smooth Muscle Preparation and in Mice, Arch. int. pharmacodyn.71, 1–13 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  3. C.A. Schneyer andH.D. Hall,Secretory Mechanism of Salivary glands (Academic Press, 1967).

  4. K.D. Bhoola, P.F. Heap andM.J.C. Lemon,The Regulation of Kallikrein Secretion from Isolated Submandibular Gland Slices by neurotransmitters, Cyclic Nucleotides and Calcium, Adv. Exper. Med. and Biol. (Eds. F. Sicuteri, N. Back and G.L. Haberland)70, 59–64 (1976).

  5. C.R. Diniz andJ.M. Gonçalves,Some Chemical and Pharmacological Properties of Brazilian Scorpion Venom, in:Venoms (Eds. E. Buckley and N. Porges; Am. Assoc. Adv. Science, 1956), pp. 131–144.

  6. A.P. Corrado, A. Antonio andC.R., Diniz,Brazilian Scorpion Venom (Tityus serrulatus) an Unusual Sympathetic Postganglionic Stimulant, J. Pharmac. exp. Ther.164, 253–258 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  7. L. Freire-Maia, J.R. Cunha-Melo, H.A. Futuro-Neto, A.D. Azevedo andJ. Weinberg,Cholinergic and Adrenergic Effects of Tityustoxin, Gen. Pharmac.7, 115–121 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  8. L. Freire-Maia, J.R. Cunha-Melo, M.V. Gomez, W.L. Tafuri, T.A. Maria, S.L. Calixto andH.A. Futuro-Neto,Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Tityustoxin, in:Animal, Plant and Microbial Toxins, vol. 2 (Ed. A. Ohsaka; 1976), pp. 273–285.

  9. L. Freire-Maia, G.I. Pinto andI. Franco,Mechanism of the Cardiovascular Effects Produced by Purified Scorpion Toxin in the Rat, J. Pharmac. exp. Ther.188, 207–213 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  10. O.L. Catanzaro, J.R. Cunha-Melo, R.A.S. Santos, R. Santos, L. Freire-Maia andW.T. Beraldo,Influência da Tityustoxina sobre o fluxo salivar, amilase e proteína na glândula parótida in vivo, Ciênc. Cult. São Paulo28 (Suppl.), 552 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  11. R.A.S. Santos, R. Santos, O.M. Parra, W.T. Beraldo, L. Freire-Maia andO.L. Catanzaro,Estudo comparativo da secreção de calicreina e amilase na glândula parótida pela tityustoxina, pilocarpina e isoproterenol, Ciênc. Cult. São Paulo28 (Suppl.), 552 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  12. W.T. Beraldo, R.L. Araujo andM. Mares-Guia,Oxytocic Esterase in Rat Urine, Am. J. Physiol.211, 975–980 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  13. K. Nusted andJ.V. Pierce,Purification of Rat Urinary Kallikreins and their Specific Antibody, Biochemistry13, 2312–2319 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  14. V.C. Myers, A.H. Free andE.E. Rosinski,Studies on Animal Diastase. VI. The Determination of Diastase (Amylase) in Blood, J. Biol. Chem.154, 39 (1944).

    Google Scholar 

  15. O.H. Lowry, N.J. Rosebrough, A.L. Farr andR.J. Randall,Protein Measurement with the Folin-Phenol Reagent, J. Biol. Chem.193, 265–275 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  16. M.V. Gomez andC.R. Diniz,Separation of Toxic Components from Brazilian Scorpion Tityus serrulatus Venom, Mems. Inst. Butantan33, 899–902 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  17. C.R. Diniz andJ.M. Torres,Release of an Acetylcholine-Like Substance from Guinea-Pig Ileum by Scorpion-Venom, Toxicon5, 277–281 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  18. M.V. Gomez, M.E.M. Dai andC.R. Diniz,Effect of Scorpion Venom, Tityustoxin, on the Release of Acetylcholine from Incubated Slices of Rat Brain J. Neurochem.20, 1051–1061 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  19. M.C. Henriques, G. Gazzinelli, C.R. Diniz andM.V. Gomez,Effect of the Venom of the Scorpion Tityus serrulatus on Adrenal Gland Catecholamines, Toxicon5, 175–179 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  20. J. Moss, T. Kazic, D.P. Henry andI. Kopin,Scorpion Venom Induced Discharge of Catecholamines Accompanied by Hypertension, Brain Res.54, 381–385 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  21. J.R. Cunha-Melo, L. Freire-Maia, W.L. Tafuri andT.A. Maria,Mechanism of Action of Purified Scorpion Toxin on the Isolated Rat Intestine. Toxicon11, 81–84 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. O. L. Catanzaro (Visiting Professor)

    Present address: Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    O. L. Catanzaro (Visiting Professor), R. A. S. Santos, O. M. Parra, R. M. Santos, L. Freire-Maia & W. T. Beraldo

Authors
  1. O. L. Catanzaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. A. S. Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. O. M. Parra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. M. Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L. Freire-Maia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. W. T. Beraldo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Catanzaro, O.L., Santos, R.A.S., Parra, O.M. et al. Effect of scorpion toxin (tityustoxin, TsTx) on the salivary gland of the rat, in vivo and in vitro. Agents and Actions 8, 119–124 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01972413

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01972413

Keywords

Search

Navigation