Abstract

BORGES, Adolfo et al. Isolation and characterization of a peptide from the venom of tityus gonzalespongai (scorpiones, buthidae) with activity against leishmania (leishmania) Mexicana promastigotes. Saber [online]. 2013, vol.25, n.4, pp.399-413. ISSN 1315-0162.

Previous evidence has shown the presence in the venom of the Venezuelan scorpion, Tityus discrepans (Karsch), of potent antileishmanicidal peptides able to increase the intracellular vacuolar content and the flagellar pocket volume, and kill Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana promastigotes. This work shows the differential leishmanicidal potency of ten scorpion venoms in the genus Tityus from representative endemic areas of scorpionism in Venezuela: T. breweri (González-Sponga), T. clathratus (Koch), T. discrepans (Karsch), T. falconensis (González-Sponga), T. gonzalespongai (Quiroga et al.), T. imei (Borges et al.), T. nororientalis (González-Sponga), T. perijanensis (González-Sponga), T. zulianus (González-Sponga), T. sanarensis (González-Sponga) and also the Brazilian species, T. serrulatus (Lutz & Mello). The study also shows the isolation and biochemical characterization of peptide HPLC-13, toxic on Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana promastigotes from the highly leishmanicidal T. gonzalespongai venom. The presence of leishmanicidal components in Venezuelan scorpion venoms could provide a framework for the design of species-specific strategies for the treatment of various forms of leishmaniasis.

Keywords : Leishmaniasis; anti-Leishmania activity; scorpions; pharmacology of venoms; Venezuela.

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