Collection and Toxicity Studies of Ant Venom

Summary

Venom from the desert ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, collected by 3 different techniques has been described. The observed effects of ant venom, when delivered by the intact viable animal into human skin, indicated a material of cholinergic properties which resulted in piloerection and sweating, and the capacity of eliciting an extensive and prolonged triple response. Absorption of the microgram quantities of venom are postulated to occur very slowly as a result of the time required for dissipation of the triple response and the absorption of the material through the lymphatics seems likely in view of the time course and distribution of the deep pain observed. Extracted venom by any one of the means described, was very toxic to female weanling mice and when given intraperito-neally the LD₅₀ was 45 (AU) per kilogram of body weight.