Apamin therapeutic effect on Parkinson's disease. Dopamine, which is depleted in this disease, will be released from midbrain dopaminergic neurons when these SK channels are inhibited. SK channels have also been proposed as targets for the treatment of epilepsy, emotional disorders and schizophrenia. Apamin Apamin is an 18 amino acid peptide neurotoxin found in apitoxin (bee venom). Dry bee venom consists of 2–3% of apamin. Apamin selectively blocks SK channels, a type of Ca-activated K channel expressed in the central nervous system. Toxicity is caused by only a few amino acids, these are cysteine, lysine, arginine, arginine and histidine. These amino
Toxicology of red imported fire ant venom (LD) on tested female rats is 0.36 mg/kg. Approximately 46 proteins have been identified in the red imported fire ant's venom, although scientists have long believed the venom only contained alkaloids. This assumption was mostly due to the difficulties in obtaining sufficient venom for analysis because of its the low protein content, which is only 0.1% of the venom's total weight. These proteins are experimentally suggested to directly account for the anaphylactic reactions seen in humans sensitive to the venom. Whilst including a number of neurotoxins and potential allergens, not all of these proteins are involved with venom function. At