EVALUATION OF THE LETHAL POTENCY (LD50) OF MOROCCAN SCORPION VENOMS OF THE GENUS BUTHUS

Btissam Bouimeja*, Ali Boumezzough, Hicham Berrougui, Mehdi Ait Laaradia, Abderrahman Chait, Oulaid Touloun

ABSTRACT

Scorpion stings are major health hazards that lead to suffering of victims and high mortality. In Morocco it is the first cause of poisoning it represents 30% of all cases recorded by the Poison Control Center of Morocco, with an average incidence of 1.06% and a general case fatality rate of 0.19%. Determination of scorpion venoms (LD50) is an important step to evaluate and compare venom toxicity. Thus, through this study we will determine by probit method the LD50 in male mice Swiss by subcutaneously root values of five scorpion species of Buthus genus considered as dangerous in Morocco. Our result shows that the median lethal doses SC (Subcutaneous) of venoms studied Buthus lienhardi(0.27mg/kg), Buthus atlantis (0.40mg/kg), Buthus paris (0.45mg/kg), Buthus occitanus (0.52mg/kg), Buthus mardochei (1.00mg/kg), the values obtained indicate that B. lienhardi possess the most toxic venom followed by B. atlantis venom whereas, the latter is more toxic than B. paris, which is more toxic than B. occitanus. It is interesting to note this venoms mentioned before are much more toxic than B. mardochei venom. In addition, our data showed that B. lienhardi venom is about three times more toxic than B. mardochei venom. Conclusively, determination of the LD50 of scorpions venom studied allowed us to deduce the degree of their toxicity, which is important for neutralization capacity of antivenom treatments.

Keywords: Scorpion; Venoms; Buthus; LD50; Toxicity; Morocco.