Bothriurus bonariensis scorpion venom activates voltage-dependent sodium channels in insect and mammalian nervous systems.

Abstract Animal venoms have been widely recognized as a major source of biologically active molecules. Bothriurus bonariensis , popularly known as black scorpion, is the arthropod responsible for the highest number of accidents involving scorpion sting in Southern Brazil. Here we reported the first attempt to investigate the neurobiology of B. bonariensis venom (BBV) in the insect and mammalian nervous system. BBV (32 μg/g) induced a slow neuromuscular blockade in the in vivo cockroach nerve-muscle preparations (70 ± 4%, n = 6, p −1 to 36 ± 1.3 min −1 (n = 6, p 2+ influx (250 ± 1% peak increase, n = 3, p