Tetrodotoxin in the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus, in association with toxification of a trumpet shell, "boshubora" Charnia sauliae.

Abstract

During examination of the, mechanism involved in tetrodotoxin (TTX) -toxification of a trumpet shell, “ boshubora ” Charonia sauliae, parts of the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus were often found in the contents of the boshubora ' s digestive tract. Paralytic toxicty was detected in specimens of this starfish collected from the places where toxic boshubora specimens were taken. Attempts were made to isolate the responsible toxin from the starfish y essentially the same methods as used previously fro studying the TTX from boshubora. The thin-layer chronatographic and electrophoretic results from the partially purified toxin, and the GC-MS of its TMS-dericvative, were hardly distinguishable from those of the authentic preparation of TTX, demonstrating the identity of the two toxins. Thereflre, it was concluded that the TTX which accumulated in the toxic boshubora came from this starfish, which had been ingested.