Potentiation of bradykinin action on smooth muscle by a scorpion venom extract.

Gel filtration of the water extract of the venom of the scorpion T. serrulatus showed four peaks; the first peak (P1) is devoid of toxic activity but increases the bradykinin-induced contraction of isolated rat uterus and guinea-pig ileum. The stepwise fractionation of the pooled P1 peak was performed in a DEAE-cellulose column and the bradykinin potentiating activity was found in the second protein peak. Finger-printing of this material showed that the bradykinin potentiating material migrates to the anode, giving two spots when submitted to chromatography, the activity being found in the spot that presents the greatest Rf. The potentiator is destroyed by heating at 97 degrees C, is not dialysable and is destroyed by incubation with pronase. Some of these properties differentiate it from the BPF's from snake venoms.