Effects of Spider Venom Toxin PWTX-I (6-Hydroxytrypargine) on the Central Nervous System of Rats.docVIP

Toxins 2011, 3, 142-162; doi:10.3390/toxins3020142 OPEN ACCESS toxins ISSN 2072-6651 /journal/toxins Article Effects of Spider Venom Toxin PWTX-I (6-Hydroxytrypargine) on the Central Nervous System of Rats Lilian M. M. Cesar-Tognoli 1, Simone D. Salamoni 2, Andrea A. Tavares 2, Carol F. Elias 3, Jaderson C. Da Costa 2, Jackson C. Bittencourt 3 and Mario S. Palma 1,* 1 Laboratory of Structural Biology and Zoochemistry, Department of Biology, CEIS, Institute of Biosciences, S?o Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil; E-Mail: lmmctognoli@ 2 Laboratory of Neurosciences, Institute of Biomedical Research and Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS 90619-900, Brazil; E-Mails: salamoni@pucrs.br (S.D.S.); almalencar@.br (A.A.T.); jcc@pucrs.br (J.C.D.C.) 3 Laboratory of Chemical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of S?o Paulo (USP), S?o Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil; E-Mails: carol.elias@ (C.F.E.); jcbitten@icb.usp.br (J.C.B.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: mspalma@rc.unesp.br; Tel.:+55-19 Fax: +55-19 Received: 18 January 2011; in revised form: 1 February 2011 / Accepted: 12 February 2011 / Published: 22 February 2011 Abstract: The 6-hydroxytrypargine (6-HT) is an alkaloidal toxin of the group of tetrahydro-?-carbolines (TH?C) isolated from the venom of the colonial spider Parawixia bistriata. These alkaloids are reversible inhibitors of the monoamine-oxidase enzyme (MAO), with hallucinogenic, tremorigenic and anxiolytic properties. The toxin 6-HT was the first TH?C chemically reported in the venom of spiders; however, it was not functionally well characterized up to now. The action of 6-HT was investigated by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) and intravenous (i.v.) applications of the toxin in adult male Wistar rats, f