SCORPION VENOMS (For Pharmaceutical Applications) ABOUT US Satix Pharma Co. began its activity in the pharmaceutical industry in Iran to produce herbal medicines and venom products extracted from insects and ar- thropods. This brochure highlights some infor- Satix Pharma Co. and its partners The Satix Pharma Co. installations mation about various scorpions that are honored to recruit experienced are located in the Fars province in can be found in Iran and the benefits and skilled staff, including toxicolo- Iran being entirely compatible with the of their venom in pharmaceutical ap- gists and laboratory experts who have ecology of the subject arthropods in plications. This brochure shows our been working under the supervision terms of climate. ability to breed and raise multiple spe- of the Pharmaceutical and Laboratory cies of scorpion and extract, collect Department of the Ministry of Health, Our products are accompanied by and distribute venom of scorpions for so guaranteeing the production of technical information including purity market consumption in accordance to high-quality scorpion venoms. and biological activity from examina- highest quality standards certified by tions certified by state supervised authentic laboratories. laboratories. 2 We will be pleased to host our cus- facility in any Middle East country, tomers who are interested in visiting with more than 3000 square meters the scorpion farm and facilities. Ad- of infrastructure. We are using expe- ditionally, samples are provided for all rienced technicians in this field, and pertinent testing and can be exam- able to produce qualified products. ined by certified laboratories. Satix Pharma Co. and its partners have legal licenses from the Iranian government to operate the largest scorpion farm and venom extraction SCORPION VENOMS 3 EXISTING SCORPION VENOMS PRODUCT NAME ILLUSTRATION/PHOTO Venom Androctonus Crassicauda Venom Mesobuthus Eupeus Venom Odontobuthus Doriae Venom Hottentotta Saulcyi Venom Hottentotta Zagrosensis Venom Hemiscorpius Lepturus Venom Hottentotta Jayakari 4 PRODUCTION FARM Larestan, Iran SCORPION VENOMS 5 INTRODUCTION Scorpions constitute a very well adapted order of predatory neurotoxins in the venom. They can block or modify the animals that have been living in the Earth for nearly 400 mil- functioning of their targeted ion channels in excitable cells, lion years. They now inhabit virtually every terrestrial habitat, which results in autonomic excitation. Scorpion a-toxins except Antarctica. More than 1400 species have been de- cause massive endogenous release of catecholamines. scribed to date. The key to their success is the production The combination of sympathetic excitation and the release of potent venoms that they use primarily to kill or paralyze of catecholamines in plasma generates a cascade of physi- their prey and to deter possible competitors and preda- ological events that can progress to arterial hypertension tors. The expansion of human civilization and the growth or hypotension, tachycardia or bradycardia, arrhythmia, un- of human population have led to increased interaction with consciousness, pulmonary edema, heart failure and death. these arthropods, frequently resulting in accidents when Scorpionism represents a major health problem in several people get stung. The immediate pain that the sting elic- countries. More than 1.2 million scorpion stings are regis- its and the devastating consequences that the envenoma- tered globally every year. Despite the fact that only about 25 tion can ultimately cause in human beings attribute to the scorpion species are known to be dangerous to humans, bad reputation of these animals. The effects of a scorpion about 3000 stings per year are fatal. sting can vary widely, from just local pain or inflammation to severe clinical complications, including death. The sever- ity of scorpion envenomation is related to the presence of TAXONOMY Scorpion, spiders, ticks and mites are all arthropods. They with thin delicate pedipalps would need extra assistance belong to the Chelicerata, which refers to the structure of from powerful venom. It sounds logical, but it is not known the front appendages. Various authors have proposed dif- if this correct. The color of the animal is not significant with ferent classification schemes. These are based inter alia on regard to toxicity. The identification of a scorpion at the the form of the sternum, the presence of protuberances species level is a job for specialists. The use of taxonomic on the legs, the morphology of the telson and the number keys presumes a good knowledge of the nomenclature, of lateral eyes. The number of trichobothria (small hair-like the jargon, the morphology and anatomy of the animals. sensory organs) on the femur of the pedipalps is also used. Drawings are generally diagrams which require some inter- Thus the Buthidae have a triangular central sternal plate. pretation, for which prior knowledge is necessary. Several The other families have a pentagonal sternum. In general, it species are indistinguishable from one another on morpho- can be said that scorpions with massive claws (Scorpioni- logical grounds. These cryptic species can only be distin- dae, Chactidae, Diplocentridae, Bothriuridae) are relatively guished with chemical or genetic methods. harmless, while the more dangerous species (Buthidae, Vaejovidae) have finer claws. An often-heard explanation is that species with massive claws have no difficulty killing their prey, and so do not need powerful venom. Species 6 Taxonomy Families: • Bothriuridae • Euscorpiidae • Scorpionidae • Buthidae • Hemiscorpiidae • Superstitioniidae • Caraboctonidae • Luridae • Vaejovidae • Chactidae • Microcharmidae • Akravidae • Chaerilidae • Pseudo-chactidae About only 20-25 types of 1400 species of scorpion world wide are dangerous. Androctonus: They can make a noise by rubbing their sting over these Thick-tailed scorpions: A. australis, “Androctonus australis” small knobs. They are very venomous. Local pain and sys- is the most important species in the Old World. temic effects and even death can be the result. P. liosoma, “Parabuthus liosoma”, P. granulates, “Parabuthus granula- Buthus: tus”, P. transvaalicus, “Parabuthus transvaalicus”, P. palli- in the case of Buthus occitanus, “Buthus occitanus”, the dus, “Parabuthus pallidus” and P. fulvipes, “Parabuthus ful- major species within this genus, the venom varies sharply in vipes” are the most notorious species. Parabuthus species toxicity depending on the geographical region. are unique in that they can also spray venom in a fine jet. This probably involves a reflex which is triggered when the Mesobuthus: (earlier placed within the genus Buthotus): animal feels threatened. The animal does not aim the jet in Mesobuthus tumulus, “Mesobuthus tamulus” or “Red a specific direction, but can spray up to 1 meter away and Indian Scorpion” primarily causes cardiovascular problems 50 cm high. (hypertension, arrhythmia, pulmonary oedema). Centruroides: Hottentotta: This genus includes the most important scorpions in the and H. minox, “Hottentotta minox” are often found under New World. Centruroides suffuses, “Centruroides suffusus” the bark of Acacia trees. The sting is painful. and C. sculpturatus “Centruroides sculpturatus”, and C. exilicauda, “Centruroides exilicauda” are notorious. C. suf- Leiurus: fuses, “Centruroides suffusus” measures up to 90 mm, is Leiurusquinquestriatus, “Leiurusquinquestriatus” is one of yellow to brown in color and has two longitudinal stripes on the most frequently encountered scorpions in the Sahel. the tergites of the pre-abdomen. Although the animal produces relatively little venom, the venom is quite powerful. Tityus: This genus includes more than 100 species, including T. Compsobuthus and Odonthobuthus: serrulatus, “Tityus serrulatus”, (Brazil). This creature is par- C. acuticarinatus, “Compsobuthus acuticarinatus” from thenogenetic. It is fairly common in urban environments and Egypt and O. doriae, “Odonthobuthus doriae” from Iran are – like T. bahiensis, “Tityus bahiensis” – enters houses. T. moderately venomous. trinitatis, “Tityus trinitatis” is highly venomous and is found in sugar cane fields and cocoa plantations. However, this Parabuthus: species is not found in houses. Most species are found in South Africa and Namibia. The animals measure 5-14 cm and are brown-yellow to black. The genus is distinguished from others through stridulatory granules on the dorsal side of the first two tail segments. SCORPION VENOMS 7 OUR PRODUCTS 1 - Product Name: Venom Androctonus Crassicauda (Arabian fat-tailed scorpion) Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name reading frame was composed of 80 amino acid residues given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, one of the contain a signal peptide of 22 amino acid residues, followed most dangerous groups of scorpions species in the world. by a mature toxin of 58 amino acids. It had a molecular They are found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions mass of 6.84 kDa and isoelectric point of 4.58. The se- of the Middle East and Africa. They are a moderate sized quence similarity search revealed several matches with the scorpion, attaining lengths of 100 mm (just under 4 in). Their scorpion toxin-like domain of toxin-3 superfamily with a ho- common name is derived from their distinctly fat metaso- mology range of 35-75%. Multiple alignments and second- ma, or tail, while the Latin name originates from Greek and ary structure prediction demonstrated that the