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Updated: May 18, 2026

Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects
Published on: April 21, 2018
Venom's antinociceptive property in the primitive ant Dinoponera quadriceps
Paloma L Sousa1, Yves Quinet, Edson L Ponte
1Instituto Superior de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará-UECE, Av. Paranjana 1700, Itaperi 60 740-000, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
In northeastern Brazil, Dinoponera (Ponerinae) ants macerate are used to treat ear ache and its sting, rheumatism, and back pain. Such a popular use is a relevant fact that called for experimental evaluation of the antinociceptive activity of Dinoponera venom.
Materials And Methods:
Dinoponera quadriceps venom (DqV; 5-500 μg/kg; i.v.) or morphine (3.4 mg/kg; s.c.) were evaluated in mice models of nociception (n=8 animals/group). Negative controls received sterile saline (0.9% NaCl; i.v.).
Results:
DqV showed 64% protein content and exhibited antinociceptive activity, without affecting motor function, in the tests: formalin (72%), writhing (52%), von Frey (71%) and hot plate (45%). The antinociceptive activity was abolished under protein denaturant conditions.
Conclusions:
This study provided the first demonstration of the antinociceptive property of Dinoponera quadriceps venom in mice models of chemical, mechanical and thermal nociception, corroborating the popular use and suggesting its potential therapeutic utilization in painful conditions.
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