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Animal poisons (zootoxins)
Animal poisons offer the particular animal that produces them a selection advantage due to their warning and defense function. Snake poisons, on the other hand, are aggressive poisons that are primarily used to catch prey. The selection value of the poisons led in the course of evolution to the formation of many active substances, which are very specific and highly effective. Many poisons contain a combination of several active ingredients; Another possibility is protein complementation, in which toxicologically inactive proteins form complexes with toxins and change their properties in a manner that is advantageous for the animal.
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- Zootoxins
| Poison | Mechanism of action | Producers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart-active toxins | Cardiotoxins / cytotoxins | Act on lipids and proteins in the membrane of blood or heart cells. | Cobra, scorpions |
| Digoxin-like toxins | Cardiotonic steroids that cause severe irregular heartbeat. | Toads | |
| Hemotoxins | Protease inhibitors | Blockade of serine proteases, e.g., plasmin, thrombin and kallikrein; leads to anticoagulation or hypotension. | Snakes (elapids and vipers), scorpions, leeches (most potent known antithrombin) |
| Factor X activators | Premature activation of factor X in blood clotting; leads to anticoagulation. | Vipers and Elapids | |
| Protein C activators | Premature activation of protein C in blood clotting; leads to anticoagulation. | Vipers | |
| Prothrombin activators | Premature activation of prothrombin in blood clotting; leads to anticoagulation. | Elapids | |
| Disintegrins | Anticoagulant effect, bind to GPIIb / IIIa receptor on platelets. | Vipers, leeches | |
| Proteases | Broad protein-degrading effect, conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. | Pit vipers | |
| PLA2 | Hemorrhagic effect. | snakes | |
| Myotoxins | Myotoxins | Small proteins that cause muscle cell destruction. | Pit vipers |
| PLA2 | Destruction of muscle cells. | snakes | |
| T1 and T2 | Induce muscle contractions. | Chironex fleckeri (Box jellyfish) | |
| Vasoactive toxins | Sarafotoxins | Vasoconstricting effect. | Earth vipers |
| Natriuretic peptides | Induce hypotension. | Platypus, elapids and pit vipers | |
| CrTX -I, -II, -III | Induce aggregation of platelets and cause vasoconstriction; also disruption of the uptake / storage of noradrenaline; postsynaptic contractile systems remain unaffected, but at the same time contraction of the smooth muscles by the Ca2+-independent release of prostaglandins. | Jellyfish (Carybdea rastoni) | |
| Neurotoxins | see chapter on neurotoxins |
