Does zinc sulfate inhibit the in vitro cytotoxicity of crude toxin from Pelagia noctiluca?

• Main Authors: G.L. Mariottini, E. Giacco, L. Pane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2011-01-01
• Series: Journal of Biological Research
• Subjects: Pelagia noctiluca, jellyfish, cytotoxicity, zinc sulfate protection
• Online Access: http://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/jbr/article/view/4488

The Scyphomedusa Pelagia noctiluca is known to be an harmful species able to cause contact dermatitis and also systemic symptoms in sensitive subjects. Taking into account that some compounds are known to be protective agents against jellyfish venoms, in this research the protection of non-cytotoxic zinc sulfate concentrations was evaluated on cultured L929 mouse fibroblasts exposed to nematocyst crude venom at doses ranging between 60x10³ and 240x10³ nematocysts/ml. The results indicate that the pre-treatment with 10^-6 M zinc sulfate allowed a significant cell survival increase and protection after exposition to nematocyst does from 60x10³ to 180x10³ nematcysts/ml. Therefore, zinc sulfate could be a valuable protective agent in barrier creams applied to bather'sskin with the purpuse to protect from Pelagia noctiluca sting.