Mechanism of the decrease of tetrodotoxin activity in modified seawater medium.
This study was designed to clarify the mechanism of the decrease of tetrodotoxin (TTX) toxicity during storage in a modified seawater medium (MSWM). When TTX was added to sterilized MSWM, the toxicity of TTX in the medium markedly decreased within 1 day, as determined by a mouse bioassay. HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) analysis showed that the peak of TTX was reduced and new unidentified peaks were observed. Omission of the P-1 metal solution from MSWM suppressed the decrease in TTX toxicity and the disappearance of TTX. Further studies indicated that boric acid in the P-1 metal solution triggers this toxicity decrease, indicating that TTX is chemically, not microbiologically, converted to unknown compounds in MSWM.
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan.
Takeshi
T
Kobayashi
Yuji
Y
Nagashima
Bon
B
Kimura
Tateo
T
Fujii
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001888:Boric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D051379:Mice; D012623:Seawater; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000633:toxicity*
D001888:Boric Acids; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; C032688:boric acid