Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in an animal model of C. Infamatus poisoning
Authors: Vadillo Antonio Franco , Blas Mireille Toledo , Balcázar Gustavo Guevara , Kovsova Alexander Kormanovski , del Carmen Castillo Hernández María 
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Scorpions are arachnids distributed globally, cases of accidental sting are quiet common in dessert countries, and can cause lethal poisoning in humans especially in children. Sting symptoms begins immediately with burning pain in the area and progresses to its maximum severity within 5 hours. In this period there is a massive release of neurotransmitters that produces sweating, nausea and vomiting. The victims usually presents the main signs, the most common are mydriasis, nystagmus, hypersalivation, dysphagia and restlessness, in addition severe neurological signs such as convulsions, coma and death can occur. In adittion to this, some scorpions species poisoning, produces damage to organs such as heart, kidney, spleen and liver. The scorpion venom has been characterized with multiple proteins of different molecular weight, however it has been demonstrated that the toxins structure are selective antagonists of voltage‐dependent channels at K +, Na + and Ca2 +. Those that explains its effect on the central nervous, cardiovascular and muscular systems. It has also been described that the immune system does not have a direct participation on the pathophysiology of the venom, however it is thought that it has a relation on the organic alterations in spleen, liver and kidney mainly. The especific treatment is the antivenon Alacramyn and has been shown to have many beneficial effects on multiple pathologies, especially neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic, however its effects on the systemics symptoms have not been described. Due to its pathophysiology the hyperbaric oxygen chamber could have beneficial effects on the systemic poisoning evolution.

Objective

Compare the effects of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus the antivenom Alacramyn on the systemic reactions of the scorpion venom Centruroides infamatus.

Material and methods

Wistar male rats of 45 days of life were used, different study groups were formed, the negative control group (C−) which was only exposed to 7 sessions of hyperbaric chamber at 2ATA for one hour, the positive control group (C +) which was inoculated with C. infamatus poison intraperitoneally, the group with hyperbaric chamber and poisoning (PHBO), which 24 hours after being inoculated with the poison was submitted to 15 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen chamber at 2 ATA, the poisoning group and Alacramyn (PAlc) and the poisoning group with Alacramyn and 15 sessions of hyperbaric chamber (PAH). Oxygen free radicals (ROS) and antioxidant agents were measured, in addition to performing histomorphological analyzes.

Results

Changes in the morphological pattern are observed with remarkable improvement when combining both therapies more than just the antivenom, in addition there is a decrease of free oxygen radicals and an increase of antioxidant agents in the same group.

Conclusion

The addition of the hyperbaric chamber to the conventional treatment of scorpion poisoning can contribute to improve the evolution of the systemic reactions provoked by the C. infamatus venom

Support or Funding Information

Section of postgraduate studies and research and national council of science and technology

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.