Separation and partial characterization of smooth muscle contractile material in the venom of the scorpion Heterometrus bengalensis

Abstract

P. K. Kar, B. Sarangi, A. Datta, A. Gomes and S. C. Lahiri. Separation and partial characterization of smooth muscle contractile material in the venom of the scorpion Heterometrus bengalensis. Toxicon 21, 353 – 361, 1983. — A smooth muscle contractile material was separated from crude venom of the scorpion Heterometrus bengalensis (found in Eastern India) by solvent extraction, gel filtration and thin layer chromatography. Smooth muscle contractile material could be extracted, in descending order of efficiency, with methanol, butanol, ethanol and acetone. The contractile material separated by gel filtration (Sephadex G-25) when further extracted, using the Folch procedure, showed a single spot in thin layer chromatography with one solvent system. Rechromatography of an eluate from this spot with another solvent system resolved it into three spots (SL1, SL2 and SL3, the mixture being designated as Substance L) which could be visualized either with iodine vapour, ninhydrin or molybdenum reagent. Eluates from the three spots contracted guinea-pig ileum which had been pretreated with antagonists of ACh, histamine, 5-HT and prostaglandins. Substance L and its fractions (SL1, SL2 and SL3) contain inorganic phosphorus, amino nitrogen and amino sugar, which point to the likelihood of their being glycophosphatides.