The in vivo cardiovascular effects of an Australian box jellyfish (Chiropsalmus sp.) venom in rats

Ramasamy, Sharmaine, Isbister, Geoffrey K., Seymour, Jamie E., and Hodgson, Wayne C. (2005) The in vivo cardiovascular effects of an Australian box jellyfish (Chiropsalmus sp.) venom in rats. Toxicon, 45 (3). pp. 321-327.

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Abstract

Using a new technique to extract venom from the nematocysts of jellyfish, the in vivo cardiovascular effects of Chiropsalmus sp. venom were investigated in anaesthetized rats. Chiropsalmus sp. venom (150 μg/kg, i.v.) produced a transient hypertensive response (44±4 mm Hg; n=6) followed by hypotension and cardiovascular collapse. Concurrent artificial respiration or pretreatment with Chironex fleckeri antivenom (AV, 3000 U/kg, i.v.) did not have any effect on the venom-induced hypertensive response nor the subsequent cardiovascular collapse. The cardiovascular response of animals receiving venom after the infusion of MgSO4 (50–70 mM @ 0.25 ml/min, i.v.; n=5) alone, or in combination with AV (n=5), was not significantly different from rats receiving venom alone. Prior administration of prazosin (50 μg/kg, i.v.; n=4) or ketanserin (1 mg/kg, i.v.; n=4) did not significantly attenuate the hypertensive response nor prevent the cardiovascular collapse induced by venom (50 μg/kg, i.v.).

In contrast to previous work examining C. fleckeri venom, administration of AV alone, or in combination with MgSO4, was not effective in preventing cardiovascular collapse following the administration of Chiropsalmus sp. venom. This indicates that the venom of the two related box jellyfish contain different lethal components and highlights the importance of species identification prior to initiating treatment regimes following jellyfish envenoming.

Item ID: 7197
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1879-3150
Keywords: anaesthetized rat; antivenom; box jellyfish; cardiovascular biology; Chironex fleckeri; Cnidarian; Cubozoa; in vivo; ketanserin; magnesium sulfate; nematocyst; prazosin
Date Deposited: 23 Mar 2010 05:43
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0606 Physiology > 060603 Animal Physiology Systems @ 100%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
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