Effect of toxin-g from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom on gastric emptying in rats

The effect of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom on the gastric emptying of liquids was studied in 176 young adult male Wistar rats (2-3 months of age) divided into subgroups of 8 animals each. Toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> was injected iv at doses of 25, 37.5, 50 or 100 µg/kg and the effect on gastric emptying was assessed 30 min and 8 h later. A time-course study was also performed by injecting 50 µg of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> /kg and measuring the effect on gastric emptying at times 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 and 48 h post-venom. Each envenomed animal was paired with its saline control and all received a saline test meal solution containing phenol red (60 µg/ml) as a marker. Ten minutes after administering the test meal by gavage the animals were sacrificed and gastric retention was determined by measuring the residual marker concentration of the test meal. A significant delay in gastric emptying, at 30 min and 8 h post-venom, was observed only after 50 and 100 µg of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> /kg compared to control values. The responses to these two doses were significantly different after 8 h post-venom. Toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> (50 µg/kg) significantly delayed the gastric emptying of liquids at all times studied, with a peak response at 4 h after toxin administration compared to control values. These results indicate that the iv injection of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> may induce a rapid, intense and sustained inhibition of gastric emptying 0.25 to 48 h after envenomation.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bucaretchi,F., Vinagre,A.M., Chavéz-Olórtegui,C., Collares,E.F.
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 1999
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X1999000400009
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