Venom’s antinociceptive property in the primitive ant Dinoponera quadriceps

Abstract

Ethnopharmacologicalrelevance: In northeasternBrazil, Dinoponera (Ponerinae)antsmacerateareused to treatearacheanditssting,rheumatism,andbackpain.Suchapopularuseisarelevantfactthat called forexperimentalevaluationoftheantinociceptiveactivityof Dinoponera venom. Materialsandmethods:Dinoponeraquadriceps venom(DqV;5–500 mg/kg;i.v.)ormorphine(3.4mg/kg;s.c.) wereevaluatedinmicemodelsofnociception(n¼8 animals/group).Negativecontrolsreceivedsterilesaline (0.9%NaCl;i.v.). Results: DqVshowed64%proteincontentandexhibitedantinociceptiveactivity,withoutaffectingmotor function,inthetests:formalin(72%),writhing(52%),vonFrey(71%)andhotplate(45%).Theantinociceptive activitywasabolishedunderproteindenaturantconditions. Conclusions: Thisstudyprovidedthefirstdemonstrationoftheantinociceptivepropertyof Dinoponera quadriceps venominmicemodelsofchemical,mechanical and thermalnociception,corroboratingthe popularuseandsuggestingitspotentialtherapeuticutilizationinpainfulconditions.