Effect of Asian Black Scorpion Heterometrus fastigiousus Couzijn Envenomation in Albino Mice

In the present study, effect of Heterometrus fastigiousus Couzijn (Family: Scorpionidae) venom on alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamatepyruvate transaminase (GPT) enzyme activity; and red blood cells (RBCs) count, white blood cells (WBCs) count, blood hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma hemoglobin in experimentally envenomed albino mice was studied. Venom was obtained by electrical stimulation and its toxicity was determined in albino mice by subcutaneous envenomation. The LD50 was 18.6 mg kg-1 body weight of mice. H. fastigiousus venom caused significant increase in ALP, ACP, LDH and GPT activity in liver tissue of albino mice. This venom reduced RBC count and increased WBC count, blood hemoglobin, MCH, PCV and plasma hemoglobin. Findings of this study will help to understand the mechanism of Asian black scorpion, H. fastigiousus venom toxicity.