Biochemical and biological properties of Lonomia obliqua bristle extract
Lonomia obliqua caterpillar is frequently seen in accidents with humans especially in the south of Brazil. Patients develop a hemorrhagic syndrome that can be treated with specific antilonomic serum. A consumptive coagulopathy was found to be the main cause of bleeding complications observed in pati...
Published in: | Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SciELO
2006
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-91992006000200002 https://doaj.org/article/0477e1256f7d474a8847b563230bc453 |
Summary: | Lonomia obliqua caterpillar is frequently seen in accidents with humans especially in the south of Brazil. Patients develop a hemorrhagic syndrome that can be treated with specific antilonomic serum. A consumptive coagulopathy was found to be the main cause of bleeding complications observed in patients after contact with L. obliqua. Studies revealed that L. obliqua caterpillar bristle extract (LOCBE) displays a procoagulant activity that leads to intravascular thrombin formation, resulting in a special form of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Fibrinolysis seems to be secondary to the fibrin production, since no direct fibrinolytic activity was found in LOCBE. Two procoagulant toxins, a factor X activator (Losac) and a prothrombin activator (Lopap), were isolated from LOCBE and characterized. Infusion of Lopap into experimental animals triggered a condition similar to that observed in human envenomation. |
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