T~a~, t~x. vol . t . yv. 4~s. tkzpmon rrw >.ta., tkioeea m etre.e s~e.~n

ABSTRACTS

C~ttust~, D. B. : On the venom of the lessor weevaliah, Tlrackfiura vlpera . 1. Mar. biol.Aas. U.8~, 4?, 133, 1962

Tt~ suthar Qaealbes a method for obtaining venom âom the dorsal spines of-TYndrinua vipers that isharmless to the animal. The LD� of the cade venom was d~eamined in Gobiua rutkaetparrl and foundto be 0-0032 unit : for each 2 ~ßsh. The amount ofvenom obtained~the doissl lice of a single waverwas approximately 300 thnea the amount needed to kill the average eixe goby within half as hour. The!;neater part of the làhal >fac4lon was contained within the nan-0ialyrable âaction. This fi :action wasprobably naponatble for most ofthe systemic effects of the ands venom.

The author describes the dears of pain eo~paienoed following subcutaneous

ofthe crudevenom and the various fiadions. The dialyzable >aaction produced oonsidaebly more pain thaw the nan-dialyzable $action. App:oximetely 60 per cent of the dry weight of the venom consisted of toxic mt>cosnbsta~es. Further studies sog~ted that one of the oomponenta wasa neutral mttco-snbatanoe, probablyan amino-polyaaecharide. In addition, two atbumins verre also separated from the crude extracts. About1 20 rag of S-hydroxyhyptamine per ma venom was found. The S-hydrmgrtcyptamine appaua to beresponsible for the immediate pain about wounds f~Cted by this fish.

F.E.R.

Ceena, C. C. : Studies of the mechanism of c~aat+e-like aàion of Br~arrv na

ehrsvenom-L Effect on the p~hc+enic nawe"diaphragm preparation of the rat. 1. mad Ana.

Formosa, ~9, 33, 1960

Tt~ inhibitory acxion of the venom of B. mrrltidaclrcr was studied on tha rat p~hnenic nave-diaphragmpreparation . It is suggested that the action of the vaom t+eaembles d-tubocorsrIne in some respects.The prindpal diffaeaoe betwaa the two is that the venom das not charms the tetanns/twitch ratio atlow

of tetanization while d-tuboc~u~atme does.The studyindlestea that the :eslease ofsatyldwline fronn the nerve ending is not depressed immediately

following e bkxdr, although depa+asion dace take place eventually. Neosti~nine traaiently t+eatorea thetwitch reapanse of the musde following poisoning by the venom. Further studies show that the paralyticaction of the toxin is gradual and hrevmsibk. The author discusses the possible kinetics of this action .

F.&R

E~r.~x, R: A study of the distribution, habitat, behaviour, venom apparatus, and venomof the stane®sh. Arrst . l. Mar. Frock. Res.,12, 177, 1%1

Two species of stonetish oocar in the waters of Queeasland, Australia, but is the present study ßPty-two~nt ofßfty-three spedmeas oolleàed were Smm~ceJa trndrynfa (toaetha with ame specimen of S, ~+errrreoaa) .S. tnachyrdi is found inehçltaed bays end estoaries, and themesa standard length ofthe apedmeascollectedwas 20 "3 cm. StoneGeh an veay ehtagidh and commonly lie motionless is muddy !and in rode areas . Thefish is very di~edt to detect due to its inactivity sad the fact that alga (ofthe same color as those typicalof the area) ofïea nova the skm. The ßsh can survive out of water far at least 24 hr, if thdr anm~mdmgsone moist. The prenant study was carried out with spines obtained t~ live specimens. Two veaaoa glands(mean size in average-sized ßsh in present study was 1 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter) ate pe+esatt .on each of the thirteen dorsal spines sad are ooveaed with a thick sheath of tubawlar skin. Only the tipof the spine can normally be protruded through the apalvre of the sheath, but if an object (such as arubber sheet) is pushed down on the spine from the tip, the sheath oonstricta the venom glands sad the

43

rasultant increase in pressuro in the elands may be sufficient to dislodge the connective tissue plug in thetip of the venom duct and the venom is thereby expelled . Regeneration of venom over a period of threeweeks was demonstrated in one spximen. Venom production is due to a holocrine type of secretion, andproteinaceous granules (diameter 1"S-3"S p) ara the gad products of glandular activity.

P.R.S.

Fes, F. G. and NSUNANN, W. P.: Das Gift der Honigbiene-III. Mittdung zurchemischen Kenntnis des HauptivitiratoSâ (Mellitin) . BJochenr. Z., 335, Sl, 1%1.

M~.crrna, the principal component ofbee venom, was isolated and purified on a carboxy~ellulose column .It had bees anggested that mellitia was a uniform protein hydrochloride, but the authors demonstratedwith eladropharatic methods, that it can be separated into three somewhat similar fractions, two of whichthey isolated end studied. The more basic fiaction contained twelve amino acids ; its isoelectric pointwas pH 12 "2. Its diffuaian oonataat D�was found to be 10 "1 x 10-' em=sec-1 at pH 11 "95 . This tisctioahad pharntacologic properties quite similar to those of mellitin. The nude venom was separated intonine fiactions at pH 6"7S . While most of the fractions migrated to the cathode, one component migratedvery rapidly to the anode.

F.E.R

Raffia, P. and El~vrxFS, S.: Revaaible black of axonal conduction by curare aftertreatment with cabra venom. BJaclrarro. PharntacoL, a 192, 1%1

A~ treatment of the squid giant axon with cobra venom or oetyltrimethylammonium chloride, or acombination of the two, d-tubocurarine caused a raversible block of conduction at oonoentration.R as lowas S x 10-' M. The results indicate that a strong lipid barrier surrounds the squid axon . A mechanismfor the breakdown of this barrier by cobra venom is discussed.

F.E.R

Rvaseu,F. E. and Hocnt, V. C. : Iatraventritulariqjectian a~fvenom. ToxJcoL a~pJ.PharnmcoJ.4,165, 1962

P~r~trs of reaction~studied is cats folbwing the intraveatricular igjection of the veaoms of fiveepec3as of maloes, twosped a~f soocpions, one seder sad one stiagtay . Motor chance~moat matiOedfollowing igjectian of the veaoms of CrotaJxa arimnm~tsiv, Askiitrodoa pLrdvnrn, CaarroroJdsa ac~lprwrotusand Vi~bvJs arra" Parasympathetic dyafimetion and behavioural changes weremost marked followingadmi~4ation of the soo:ploa venoms. The venom of Latnadsctrv ~nactmra stiamlated parasympathetichmction, while Uroloplarcr MJlai venom prodacad only minor and usually ttaasiemt changes.

The stagy indicates that the oe~tebs+ospioal Stud-blood-brain barrio relatiOmhip is not altered toany grant mrtmt by Crota~tvenom.

F.E.R

Sasr~w, (i. A., Dsrarav, L L aad T~zmt, L 3.: Bffact of the electrophoretic fractionof

avisrrodyta vmont on coagahtion Jar rJtnv. Arb. EJa.1?ada.,10,121,1939

~mrsnor~ta veooai was atadled wring eiearophoaetio methods. CoagaLnt and antiooagalaatfYactbn waro separated an eaüne ehtauas of beads sit >i+om paper strips oa whites the venom had beenw>;jected to aleetrophoereeL. The aoagalating âaetian migrated toward the anode: tits anticoagulanttoward the cathode. The activity of the ooagaLtiag &action was dependent upon the ooncmttstion of

b~t~In

k~bo~~~~ anticoaguladng âactioa had antlthromboplatdn-

F.B.R