Cytotoxic activity of the crude venom from Odontomachus affinis ants is mediated by thiol oxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Animal toxins, including ant venoms, contain numerous compounds with potential biomedical and therapeutic applications. Ant venoms are mostly composed by peptides and proteins that might elicit inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity. The venom of Odontomachus affinis, a predatory ant species endemic to Brazil, is still poorly studied.