A review on the Scorpaena plumieri fish venom and its bioactive compounds

Abstract

The most poisonous fish species found along the Brazilian coast is the spotted scorpionfish Scorpaena plumieri. Though hardly ever life-threatening to humans, envenomation by S. plumieri can be quite hazardous, provoking extreme pain and imposing significant socioeconomic costs, as the victims may require days to weeks to recover from their injuries. In this review we will walk the reader through the biological features that distinguish this species as well as the current epidemiological knowledge related to the envenomation and its consequences. But above all, we will discuss the challenges involved in the biochemical characterization of the S. plumieri venom and its compounds, focusing then on the successful isolation and pharmacological analysis of some of the bioactive molecules responsible for the effects observed upon envenomation as well as on experimental models. Despite the achievement of considerable progress, much remains to be done, particularly in relation to the non-proteinaceous components of the venom. Therefore, further studies are necessary in order to provide a more complete picture of the venom’s chemical composition and physiological effects. Given that fish venoms remain considerably less studied when compared to terrestrial venoms, the exploration of their full potential opens a myriad of possibilities for the development of new drug leads and tools for elucidating the complex physiological processes.

Biological and pharmacological evaluation of crude venom extracted from Tetraodon fahaka strigosus and Potamotrygon garouensis obtained from River Niger, Niger State, Nigeria

“…Venoms are complex mixtures, including peptides and proteins, some of them with enzymatic activities such as protease, phospholipase A2, and hyaluronidase, among others, as well as non-enzymatic proteins such as pore-forming cytolysins lectins and toxins that bind to ion channels (Chan et al, 2016) [7] . There are also non-proteinaceous substances, such as biogenic amines and some neurotransmitters, which can be an important part of the envenomation symptomatology which are poorly characterized concerning their roles in the pain induction and inflammatory responses associated with venom toxicity (Campos et al, 2016) [6] . This study characterizes some biological and pharmacological activities present in the crude extract from skin and innards of T. fahaka strigosus and P. garouensis.…”

“…After hatching, intestine is considered as the most necessary organ in supporting their life due to digestion and absorption process of nutrients [3,4] . Even though, embryonic period mostly depend on temperature and oxygen supply to support their survival rate, yet, the availability of food also playing a big role [5,6] . For the exogenously feeding larvae, the functional of food acquisition and growth is decisive [5] .…”

Bioinformatics Research Through Image Processing of Histopathological Response to Stonefish Venom

“…It can be found in tropical waters (Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea) [3,4]. The stonefish defense system comprises 17 spines covered with thick skin supported by venom glands [5,6]. It is found in the shallow water near the bottom [7].…”

“…Using its pectoral fins, Stonefish can rapidly dredge in the mud or the seabed sand in which it settles down and lays motionless [8]. It has a solid ability to camouflage and blend in so perfectly with its surroundings, enhancing its hiding ability [6,7]. Their ability to hide under the sand or between coral makes them challenging to detect and avoid, which increases the chances of injury by their stings [4].…”

Sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding for SpCTx: a lethal factor from scorpionfish venom (Scorpaena plumieri)

“…Occasional envenomation occurs by accidental poisoning by fish spines. Clinical and pharmacological studies suggest that active components of fish venom exhibit cytolytic (hemolytic), inflammatory, neuromuscular and pronounced cardiovascular activities [ 2 – 5 ].…”