By : Nagwa N. Azzam

Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences and Arts in Tehamah (Girls Section), king Khaled University, KSA

Abstract

Background: Envenomation from dangerous scorpions remains a horrible threat in many parts of the globe, especially the developed countries, reflecting a reliable cause of a lot of mortalities and morbidities for both children and adolescents; as the annual number of scorpion stings exceeds 1,200,000 resulting in approximately 3250 deaths. In Saudi Arabia, scorpionism constitutes an acute major medical problem with about 15, 000 average stung, yearly. Saudi government has given high priority to the development of health care services to monitor scorpionism carefully, to manage its treatment protocols successfully, and to explain the pathophysiological effects of the venom. A wide variety to treat scorpionism was used, either singly or in combination. Mostly, treatment modalities include antivenom immunoglobulin (SAV) and chemical antidotes, with varying degrees of effectiveness and side effects, though the cons and the so expensive wholesale cost associated with SAV treatment. We are in bad need and warranty challenged to obtain safer, more effective and not economically burdensome bioactive antivenins. Fourteen medically important scorpion species belonging to Buthidae have been identified in KSA. Although Androctonus crassicauda (A. c.) is an endemic and highly venomous scorpion in KSA, few studies were dealing with it. Objective: To evaluate the possible involvement of cellular oxidative reactions of the crude venom of the Saudi scorpion A. c., as the main cause of multiple organ dysfunctions, and how far scorpion haemolymph (SH) could be effective to protect and / or  treat the envenomation-associated metabolic disorders. Materials and methods: Twenty four adult male albino mice (25-32 g) were randomly divided into four groups; six in each. The controls; injected subcutaneously (SC) with 0.01 ml NaCl 0.9%/ kg BW, envenomed animals; receiving a single dose of crude venom of the Saudi scorpion A. c. (0.12 mg/kg BW; SC) and tested two hours post-injection, envenomed animals treated within 5 min. with a SC dose of 0.12 mg of SH / kg BW, and envenomed animals treated with the same dose and route with SH, two hours prior to scorpionism. Animals were dissected and different biochemical parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured in serum, liver and brain tissues. Results: Scorpion envenomation was accompanied with oxidative damage and hyperglycemia; which is causative for generation of additional reactive oxygen species, and its subsequent metabolic disorders. Also, SH was predicted to significantly protect from and reverse all the cytotoxic manifestations following envenomation. Conclusion: The cytotoxic effects of crude venom of the Saudi scorpion A. crassicauda could be attributed to generation of reactive oxygen species causing oxidative damage. The scorpion haemolymph can be used as a bioactive therapeutic agent to protect and treat the dysfunctions subsequent to envenomation, as it may contain novel molecule (s) to do this.

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