目的 探讨蜣螂Catharsius molossus的毒性，明确蜣螂的毒性成分。方法 采用小鼠急性毒性实验，研究蜣螂乙醇提取物及其水提取部位的毒性；采用有机溶剂沉淀与凝胶色谱法分离蜣螂水提取部位的毒性成分。结果 小鼠ig给予剂量小于34.8 g/kg的蜣螂乙醇提取物，毒性很小，表明经口给药安全。蜣螂水提取部位有明显的急性毒性，主要症状为精神萎靡、呼吸异常、呆卧少动、对外界声刺激反应迟钝等，蜣螂水提取部位半数致死量（LD₅₀）为19.01 g/kg。蜣螂水提取部位中蛋白质质量分数约13%，相对分子质量在1.5×10³～3.0×10⁴，其中相对分子质量在3.0×10⁴左右的蛋白质可能是蜣螂水提取部位毒性成分之一。结论 蜣螂毒性与本草学描述相符。

Objective To study the toxicity of Catharsius molossus and the toxic components in C. molossus. Methods The toxicities of ethanol and water extracts from C. molossus were measured by acute toxicity experiments in mice. The toxic components in the water extract of C. molossus were isolated by organic solvent precipitation and gel permeation chromatography. Results The mice were ig administered with the ethanol extract (≤ 34.8 g/kg), which indicated that the oral administration was safe. The water extract had the significant acute toxicity with the LD₅₀ value of 19.01 g/kg, and the symptoms were listlessness, abnormal breathing, lack of exercise, and unresponsive to external acoustic stimulation. The purified water extract contained 13% of protein, and the molecular weight distributed from 1.5 × 10³ to 3.0 × 10⁴. The protein (molecular weight of 3.0 × 10⁴) may be one of the toxic components of C. molossus. Conclusion Herbalogical description is consistent with the modern research on the toxicity of C. molossus.

国家自然科学基金资助项目（30902005）；西南科技大学博士基金资助项目（10zx7153）