The Pharmacological Effects of Odonthobuthus doriae Scorpion Venom and Its Extracted Fractions on Neuro-Muscular Transmission

Abstract

The effect of Odonthobuthos doriae (O.d) scorpion venom at 0/3, 1 and 3, 10 µg/ml concentrations were investigated on nerve-muscle transmission, using the Twitch tension technique. A concentration of 0.3 µg/ml caused a small change in the twitch height in response to indirect muscle stimulation, but higher concentrations (1, 3, 10 µg/ml) caused a transient augmentation in twitch response followed by a large contracture in the chick biventer cervices (CBC) preparation. This effect could be defined as a complex action of the venom, predominately presynaptic, in which its’ effects on postjunctional synapses is also maintained.