Tityus serrulatus is the most important scorpion species, which cause most accidents and induces the most serious forms of poisoning in Brazil. In the present study we investigate the toxicity and pulmonary-edema induced ability of specimens from the metropolitan region of Salvador (RMS) and south-central Bahia (SCB), state of Bahia, Brazil. Male Swiss mice (18-22g) had been used to evaluate the toxicity by the Finney method (1971). The LDs50 tested in mice weighing 18-20 g was 96,16 mg/mice. This value represents 3 to 7 times lesser than the toxicity of T. serrulatus from other regions of Brazil. Also, the venom does not induce pulmonary edema, as assessed by the weight difference between the tested and control lung. Our results demonstrate marked variation in the lethal and the pulmonary-induced edema of Tityus serrulatus venom from RMS and SCB. These results could explain the absence of death and pulmonary complications of scorpion envenomation in some regions of Bahia, Brazil.
Scorpion; venom; Tityus; Tityus serrulatus
