Systemic skeletal muscle necrosis induced by crotoxin

Systemic skeletal muscle necrosis induced by crotoxin, the major component of the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus, was investigated. Mice receiv ed an intramuscular injection of crotoxin (0.35 mg/kg body weight) into the right tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, which were evaluated 3 h, 24 h and 3 days later. Control mice were injected with saline. Right and left TAs, ga strocnemius, soleus and right masseter and longissimus dorsi were removed a nd frozen. Histological sections were stained with Toluidine Blue or incuba ted for acidic phosphatase reaction. Three and 24 h after the: injection. s ignals of muscle fiber injury were found: (a) in the injected TA muscles; ( b) in both right and contralateral soleus and red gastrocnemius: and ic) in the masseter muscles. Contralateral TA, longissimus dorsi and white gastro cnemius muscles were not injured, In conclusion. crotoxin induced a systemi c and selective muscle injury in muscles or muscle regions composed by oxid ative muscle fibers. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.