Saxitoxin

Saxitoxin

Chembox new
ImageFile = Saxitoxin_structure.png ImageSize =
IUPACName = (3aS-(3a-α,4-α,10aR*))2,6-diamino-
4-(((amino-carbonyl)oxy)methyl)-3a,4,8,9-tetrahydro-
1H,10H-pyrrolo(1,2-c)purine-10,10-diol
OtherNames =
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 35523-89-8
PubChem = 37165
SMILES = N=C1N [C@@H] (COC(N)=O) [C@H] 3 [C@] 2(N=C(N)N3)N1CCC2(O)O
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula =
C=10 | H=17 | N=7 | O=4
MolarMass = 299.29 g/mol
Appearance =
Density =
MeltingPt =
BoilingPt =
Solubility =
Section3 = Chembox Hazards
MainHazards =
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Autoignition =

Saxitoxin (STX) is a neurotoxin naturally produced by certain species of marine dinoflagellates ("Alexandrium sp., Gymnodinium sp., Pyrodinium sp.") and cyanobacteria ("Anabaena sp., Aphanizomenon sp., Cylindrospermopsis sp., Lyngbya sp.,"Planktothrix sp.").cite journal |author=Clark RF, Williams SR, Nordt SP, Manoguerra AS |title=A review of selected seafood poisonings |journal=Undersea Hyperb Med |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=175–84 |year=1999 |pmid=10485519 |doi= |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2314 |accessdate=2008-08-12] [Landsberg JH, 2002. The effects of harmful algal blooms on aquatic organisms. Reviews in Fisheries Science, 10(2): 113–390.] The term saxitoxin originates from the butter clam ("Saxidomus giganteus") in which it was first recognized.

Mechanism

It is a neurotoxin that acts as a selective sodium channel blocker. cite journal |author=Huot RI, Armstrong DL, Chanh TC |title=Protection against nerve toxicity by monoclonal antibodies to the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin |journal=J. Clin. Invest. |volume=83 |issue=6 |pages=1821–6 |year=1989 |month=June |pmid=2542373 |pmc=303901 |doi=10.1172/JCI114087 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI114087]

Human illness

The human illness associated with ingestion of harmful levels of saxitoxin is known as paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, and saxitoxin and its derivatives are often referred to as "PSP toxins".

The medical and ecological importance of saxitoxin lies mainly in effects of harmful algal blooms on shellfish and certain finfish which can concentrate the toxin, making it available both for human consumption as well as by various marine organisms. The blocking of neuronal sodium channels which occurs in PSP produces a flaccid paralysis that leaves its victim calm and conscious through the progression of symptoms. Death often occurs from respiratory failure. PSP toxins have been implicated in various marine animal mortalities involving trophic transfer of the toxin from its algal source up the food web to higher predators.

Military use

It is listed in schedule 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. According to the book "Spycraft", U-2 spyplane pilots were provided with needles containing saxitoxin to be used in the event escape was impossible. The United States military isolated saxitoxin and assigned it the chemical weapon designation TZ. Though its early isolation and characterization were related to military efforts, saxitoxin has been more important to cellular research in delineating the function of the sodium channel.

See also

* Harmful algal bloom
* Paralytic shellfish poisoning
* Alexandrium tamarense sp.
* Anabaena circinalis
* Action potential
* Tetrodotoxin

References

External links

*http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/issues/PSP/PSP.pdf
*http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/stx/saxi.htm


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • saxitoxin — [sak′sə täk΄sin] n. a powerful toxin that causes partial paralysis, sometimes found in shellfish that have fed on certain dinoflagellates (esp. genus Gonyaulax) …   English World dictionary

  • Saxitoxin — Strukturformel Allgemeines Name Saxitoxin Andere Namen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Saxitoxin — Sa|xi|to|xin [Kurzw. aus nlat. Saxidomus giganteus = Venusmuschel (Zool.) u. ↑ Toxin] Abk.: STX: von Algen produziertes, durch die Nahrungskette über Austern, Mies u. a. Speisemuscheln auch in Schalentiergerichte einschleppbares stark giftiges (↑ …   Universal-Lexikon

  • saxitoxin — noun Etymology: saxi (from New Latin Saxidomus giganteus, species of butter clam from which it is isolated) + toxin Date: 1962 a potent nonprotein neurotoxin C10H17N7O4•2HCl that originates especially in dinoflagellates (genus Gonyaulax) found in …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • saxitoxin — Neurotoxin produced by the red tide dinoflagellates, Gonyaulax catenella and G. tamarensis. It binds to the sodium channel, blocking the passage of action potentials. Its action closely resembles that of tetrodotoxin. The toxin was originally… …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • saxitoxin — /sak si tok sin/, n. a powerful neurotoxin, C10H17N7O4, produced by the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax catenella, the causative agent of red tide. [1960 65; < NL Saxi(domus), a clam genus infected by the dinoflagellates (equiv. to L sax(um) stone + i I …   Universalium

  • saxitoxin — noun A neurotoxin, produced by some dinoflagellates, that can accumulate in mollusks and cause subsequent food poisoning in humans …   Wiktionary

  • saxitoxin — A potent neurotoxin found in shellfish, such as the mussel or the clam, produced by the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax catenella, which is ingested by the shellfish; the cause of cases of poisoning from eating California sea mussel (Mytilus… …   Medical dictionary

  • saxitoxin — saxi·toxin …   English syllables

  • saxitoxin — sax•i•tox•in [[t]ˌsæk sɪˈtɒk sɪn[/t]] n. pha a neurotoxin produced by the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax catenella, the causative agent of red tide • Etymology: 1960–65; < NL Saxi(domus), a clam genus infected by the dinoflagellates (L sax(um) stone …   From formal English to slang

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