Received: October 31, 2005, Accepted: October 31, 2005, Published online: May 31, 2006.

BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF Lonomia obliqua BRISTLE EXTRACT

CHUDZINSKI-TAVASSI A. M.(1), CARRIJO-CARVALHO L. C.(1)

(1) Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT: 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.

KEY WORDS: Lonomia obliqua, Lonomia obliqua bristle extract, hemorrhagic syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ANA MARISA CHUDZINSKI-TAVASSI, Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Phone: +55 (11) 3726 7222 ext. 2109. Fax: +55 (11) 3726 1024. Email: amchudzinski@butantan.gov.br.