Investigation of the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of venom of some Egyptian scorpion

Abstract

Leuirus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi and Androctonus australis are venomous scorpion in Egypt. Their venom is complex mixture of salts, neurotoxins, peptides and proteins which has therapeutic applications, and can rapidly kill a broad range of microbes. Estimations of total proteins of the venom indicated that L. quinquestriatus had the highest value than the others (10.64 ± 0.04). Hemolytic activity of human erythrocytes was detected and showed that all concentrations (20, 8 and 5 mg/ml) of tested scorpion species crude venom have hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the three Egyptian scorpion's venom against four Gram-positive and negative bacterial strains (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtillis, Citrobacter freundi and Klibsella pneumonia) in addition to one fungus species Candida albicans. The results show that L. quinquestriatus venom has a significant antibacterial effect against B. subtillis and C. freundi. In contrast, A. amoreuxi and A. australis venoms do not have a noticeable effect on tested microbes. So, the aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of crude venom against Gram-negative, as well as Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and to evaluate the hemolytic activity of the three investigated species on human erythrocytes.

Antibacterial Activity of the Iranian Scorpion’s Crude Venom (Odontobuthus bidentatus) on Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria

“…They showed that L. quinquestriatus venom had a significant antibacterial effect against B. subtillis and C. freundi. In contrast, A. amoreuxi and A. australis venoms did not have a noticeable effect on the tested bacteria [24].…”

“…They showed that the scorpion venoms significantly inhibited the growth of S. Aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. Coli bacteria [6]. Salama and Geasa studied the antimicrobial activity of venoms from three Egyptian scorpions (Leuirus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi and Androctonus australis) [24]. In their study, the antimicrobial activities of these venoms against four Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtillis, Citrobacter freundi and Klibsella pneumonia) were evaluated.…”