Cytotoxicity of the venom of Pelagia noctiluca forskal (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)

The activity of Pelagia noctiluca venom was never assessed on cultured cells; therefore, we have evaluated on V79 cells the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and ATP depletion induced after treatment. Venom did not cause alteration on cell DNA, but showed remarkable cytotoxic properties. With the highest nematocyst concentration (150,000 nematocyst/ml) 74 and 39% cells survived after 1and 3 h, respectively, when evaluated by Trypan blue. Treated cells showed increased ATP levels during the same time. Preliminary HPLC analyses have showed the occurrence of a protein containing peak. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.