title: Brevetoxins: unique polyether dinoflagellate toxins.
abstract: Brevetoxins are lipid-soluble polyether marine toxins of unique structure and pharmacological function. Toxins are active in vivo in the nanomolar to picomolar concentration range and in vitro in isolated neuromuscular or giant axon preparations and in single-cell or subcellular model systems. Their effect is excitatory, mediated by the enhancement of cellular Na+ influx. Brevetoxins bind at site 5 on the voltage-sensitive sodium channel, a specificity shared with ciguatoxin. This site is allosterically linked to other natural toxin binding sites on the channel.
authors.affiliation: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Florida 33149.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Baden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002922:Ciguatoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004141:Dinoflagellida; D004355:Drug Stability; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004987:Ethers; D006801:Humans; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D035964:Oxocins; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000494:pharmacology; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D002922:Ciguatoxins; D004798:Enzymes; D004987:Ethers; D008387:Marine Toxins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D035964:Oxocins; D015222:Sodium Channels; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C053342:brevetoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins