ABSTRACT
Loxosceles adelaida spiders (Araneae, Sicariidae) are found near and inside the caves in the Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), São Paulo, Brazil, which are visited by thousands of tourists every year. Several Loxosceles species are a public health problem in many regions of the world, by causing severe dermonecrosis and/or complement dependent haemolysis upon envenomation. The aim of this study was to characterize the biochemical and biological properties of L. adelaida venom and evaluate the toxic potential of envenomation by this non-synanthropic Loxosceles species. The biological activities of the L. adelaida venom was compared to that of Loxosceles gaucho, a synanthropic species of medical importance in Brazil. L. adelaida venom showed a similar potential to induce haemolysis, dermonecrosis and lethality as L. gaucho venom. L. adelaida crude venom was purified, yielding a 31 kDa component endowed with haemolytic and dermonecrotic activities. In conclusion, we show here that the troglophile Loxosceles species, L. adelaida, commonly found in the complex of caves from PETAR, is potentially able to cause envenomation with the same gravity of those produced by synanthropic species.
