Serotonin in wasp venom

5-HT is present in the venom of wasp, scorpion, stinging plants, sea anemone and Portugese man-of-war. Poisonous salivary glands of octopus are also known to contain large amounts of 5-HT. Table 8 below shows that scorpion and Bufo marinus contain a high concentration of 5-HT.



Histamine is the other major component in the venom of some wasps. In Table I below, the amount of histamine was quantified relative to the weight in grams (g) of the venom sac. The mean 5-HT concentration in venom was 0.32 mg/g, and the mean histamine concentration was 4.3 mg/g.





Histamine and 5-HT probably contribute to the pain following a wasp sting, since these chemicals cause pain when applied to a blister in human skin.

From 5-HT pain

Reference

Lewis, G. P. (1958). 5-Hydroxytryptamine, Lewis, G. P., Ed., Pergamon Press: New York.

Lyttle T., D. Goldstein and J. Gartz. (1996). Bufo toads and bufotenine: fact and fiction surrounding an alleged psychedelic. J. Psychoactive Drugs. 28, 267-290.