THE OBSERVATION OF CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND THE STUDY OF TOXINS OF AQUATIC VENOMOUS ANIMALS: WHAT IS BEING MADE AND WHAT IS INTENDED TO MAKE

HADDAD JR, V (1,2)

(1) Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu – Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil; (2) Hospital Vital Brazil – Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil.

Envenomation mechanisms vary from species to species of aquatic venomous animals, involving various apparatuses and venomous glandular tissue which present different accident risks, causing a lack of uniform prevention measures. Although not recent, the development of venomous apparatus in fish seems rudimentary, using structures such as fins and rays to inoculate toxins, rarely having specialized structures for this. It is possible to perceive signs and symptoms of an envenoming caused for fish in an human injury, what take us to the other phase: the laboratorial toxin research. This intermeshing is basic in this type of study: it involves clinical field research of supposedly venomous fish, information of the fishermen on the intensity of the accidents and therapeutical measures used, which will be transmitted to the experimental researcher. In turn, this identifies toxins, proves the action of these in laboratory animals and, especially, reproduces the effects observed. Venomous aquatic animals and their venoms have only recently been afforded attention and new studies, not just because of clinical problems in humans but also for the possibility of discovering new active substances of immense pharmacological potential. This presentation will show some examples of this interaction between experimental and clinical research.

KEY WORDS: venomous animals, aquatic animals, venomous fish, cnidarians, injuries in humans, treatment.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: none.

CORRESPONDENCE TO: Vidal Haddad Junior

Caixa Postal 557 - 18618-000 – Botucatu – SP – Brasil, Email: haddadjr@fmb.unesp.br