Hymenoptera venoms constitute an interesting source of natural toxins that may lead to the development of novel therapeutic agents. The present study investigated the enzymatic and biological characteristics of the crude venom of the ant
Odontomachus bauri. Its crude venom presents several
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Hymenoptera venoms constitute an interesting source of natural toxins that may lead to the development of novel therapeutic agents. The present study investigated the enzymatic and biological characteristics of the crude venom of the ant
Odontomachus bauri. Its crude venom presents several protein bands, with higher staining for six proteins with gelatinolytic activity (17, 20, 26, 29, 43 and 48 kDa). The crude venom showed high proteolytic activity on azocasein at optimal pH 8.0 and 37 °C. In the presence of protease inhibitors as aprotinin, leupeptin and EDTA, the azocaseinolytic activity was reduced by 45%, 29% and 9%, respectively, suggesting that the enzymes present in the crude venom belong to the three classes of proteases, with the serine proteases in greater intensity. The crude venom degraded the fibrinogen α-chain faster than the β-chain, while the fibrinogen γ-chain remained unchanged. In biological assays,
O. bauri venom showed hemolytic and coagulant activity
in vitro, and defibrinating activity
in vivo. In addition, the venom showed antimicrobial activity against
Staphylococcus aureus and
Escherichia coli as well as antiparasitic activity on
Toxoplasma gondii infection
in vitro. In that sense, this study sheds perspectives for pharmacological applications of
O. bauri venom enzymes.
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