In vivo neurotoxicity of Androctonus australis hector scorpion venom: evidence that the supra-thoracic nervous system is not implicated in the clinical manifestations

The severity of scorpion stings is related to the highly active neurotoxins in the venom. In this study, rats whose supra-spinal central nervous syste m was deprived of its peripheral connections were experimentally poisoned b y the venom of Androctonus australis hector scorpion, Clinical signs of sev erity were not modified when the rats had previously undergone high medulla r section. These results suggest that the supra-thoracic nervous system is not implicated in the neurotoxicity manifestations of scorpion envenomation . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.