The secretagogue effect of the poison from Centruroides limpidus limpidus on the pancreas of mice and the antagonistic action of the Bouvardia ternifolia extract

In Mexican traditional medicine the plant species Bouvardia ternifolia is used as remedy to treat patients who have been stung by scorpions. In the preceding study, the methanol extract from the roots of this plant was capable of reducing the poisonous effect of Centruroides limpidus limpidtts on mice. The poisoning from scorpion C limpidus limpidus includes manifestations associated with the pancreatitis. This study evaluated the effect produced by the hexane and methanol extract from the root of B. ternifolia upon the acutely inflamed pancreas induced by the venom of C limpidtts limpidus on rats, and the release of amylase in the isolated pancreas of mice. The intravenous administration of venom induced the extravasation of labelled albumin, in a dose dependant manner. The pre-administration of both extracts of Bouvardia ternifolia reduced significantly (p < 0.05) the extravasation by 60%. Upon measuring the secretagogue effect of the venom in the isolated pancreas of mice, the EC50 of the venom was 3.76 x 10(-3) mg ml(-1), whilst in the presence of the methanol and hexane extracts, this EC50 was 9.13 x 10(-3) mg ml(-1) and 0.01629 mg ml(-1). In conclusion, the C limpidus limpidus venom possesses a secretagogue effect of amylase on the pancreas of mice and produces an inflamed pancreas which is effectively antagonised by the hexane and methanol extracts from the roots of B. ternifolia. (C) 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.