Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI15
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1320702

Bunodosines: novel analgesic acylamino acids from the venom of the sea anemone Bunodosoma cangicum

AJ Zaharenko 1, G Picolo 2, WA Ferreira Jr. 2, T Murakami 3, K Kazuma 4, M Hashimoto 3, Y Cury 2, JC de Freitas 5, K Konno 4
  • 1Laboratory of Genetics
  • 2Laboratory of Pain and Signaling, Butantan Institute, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, São Paulo, 05503–900, Brazil
  • 3Department of Agriculture and Bioscience, Hirosaki University, 3-Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, 036–8561, Japan
  • 4Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930–0194, Japan
  • 5Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão 321, São Paulo 05508–090, Brazil

Sea anemones are known as a rich source of protein and peptide toxins. In contrast, however, only little is known about the non-peptidic, small molecules in the sea anemones. We have been searching for small molecule toxins in the venom of the Brazilian sea anemone, Bunodosoma cangicum, which has led to the isolation of new acylamino acids, bunodosine 391 (BDS 391, 1) and bunodosine 405 (BDS 405, 2), showing a potent analgesic activity mediated by serotonin receptors.