Extraction of a Water-Soluble Toxin from a Dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus toxicus

Abstract

A water soluble toxin was extracted from sixth and seventh generation cultures of Gambierdiscus toxicus from the Caribbean. The crude toxin was partially purified using column and thin layer chromatography. Crude and semipurified fractions were tested for toxicity on mice and guinea pig ilea. The LD- 50,s for crude and semipurified fractions were 1.1 mg/kg mouse and 0.62 µg/kg mouse, respectively. On guinea pig ileum preparations, semiquantitation of this irreversible toxin was accomplished by titrating down to a dosage of toxin which would cause 50% inhibition. The semipurified toxin produced 50% inhibition at 2.8 ng/ml, whereas the crude extract required 5 µg/ml. This water soluble toxin is compared with a similar component found in the lipid extracted fraction.

Part of CIRS Nexus · Curated by Lauren Lowenstein, The Biotoxin Lady