Abstract:
Crude, diluted venoms of Parabuthus transvaalicus and P. granulatus were tested on isolated
cardiomyocytes. Ventricular myocytes were subjected to hypercontractility tests and whole-cell voltage
clamp. Both venoms had a profound influence on the hypercontractility of cardiomyocytes, which
was markedly decreased when they were pre-absorbed with commercial antiserum. Whole-cell clamp
results showed an increase in the sodium current, and a retardation of the time course of inactivation,
implicating the presence of an a toxin in both venoms.
