FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.

Venom Composition of the Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion:

Water-soluble, antigenic, heterogeneous mixture composed of varying concentrations of neurotoxin, cardiotoxin, nephrotoxin, hemolytic toxin, phosphodiesterase's, phospholipases, hyaluronidases, glycosaminoglycans, histamine, serotonin, tryptophan, cytokine releasers, etc.

The different constituents of crude scorpion venom are water, mucosa, oligopeptides, nucleotides, amino acids, ions, neurotransmitters, salts, low molecular weight peptides, metals, muco-proteins, muco-polysaccharides, hyaluronidase, phospholipase, serotonin, histamine, biogenic amines and many unidentified substances

Primarily neurotoxic with abundant cardiotoxins; fatalities primarily the result of cardiovascular and respiratory dysfunction and failure. Reported LD50 toxicity levels of 0.16–0.50 mg/kg indicate that this species possesses one of the most toxic venoms described in scorpions.

Neurotoxins of Buthidae venoms are basic polypeptides of low molecular weight single subunit (3–7 kDa). Their sequence consists of 31–70 amino acid residues cross-linked by 3–4 disulfide bridges that confer their stability. The toxicity of venom is mainly due to its neurotoxins and to their specific binding to their cellular targets, the ionic channels. The main toxic components of Buthidae venoms correspond to neurotoxins acting on sodium and potassium channels.

The primary targets of scorpion venom are voltage-dependent ion channels, of which sodium channels are the best studied. Venom alters these channels and the side chains of scorpion venom that are positively charged. This is important in their ability to bind to specific membrane channels. Alpha (of Buthus spp.) and beta (of Centruroides spp.) venom act on the sodium channel. Scyllatoxin a charybdotoxin of the Leiurus species, and Tityus toxin act primarily on potassium channels. The venom acts by opening the sodium channel at presynaptic nerve terminals and inhibits calcium-dependant potassium channels

The global elemental composition of the crude venom obtained from Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpions were estimated using ICP-MS analyzer. The study catalogued several chemical elements present in the scorpion venom using ICP-MS total quant analysis and quantitation of nine elements exclusively using appropriate standards. Fifteen chemical elements including sodium, potassium and calcium were found abundantly in the scorpion venom at PPM concentrations. Thirty six chemical elements of different mass ranges were detected in the venom at PPB level.