title: The extract of the jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata promotes neurotoxic effects.
abstract: Phyllorhiza punctata (P. punctata) is a jellyfish native to the southwestern Pacific. Herewith we present the biochemical and pharmacological characterization of an extract of the tentacles of P. punctata. The tentacles were subjected to three freeze-thaw cycles, homogenized, ultrafiltered, precipitated, centrifuged and lyophilized to obtain a crude extract (PHY-N). Paralytic shellfish poisoning compounds such as saxitoxin, gonyautoxin-4, tetrodotoxin and brevetoxin-2, as well as several secretory phospholipase A(2) were identified. PHY-N was tested on autonomic and somatic neuromuscular preparations. In mouse vas deferens, PHY-N induced phasic contractions that reached a peak of 234 ± 34.7% of control twitch height, which were blocked with either 100 μ m of phentolamine or 1 m m of lidocaine. In mouse corpora cavernosa, PHY-N evoked a relaxation response, which was blocked with either L-N(G) -Nitroarginine methyl ester (0.5 m m) or 1 m m of lidocaine. PHY-N (1, 3 and 10 μg ml(-1) ) induced an increase in tonus of the biventer-cervicis neuromuscular preparation that was blocked with pre-treatment of galamine (10 μ m). Administration of 6 mg kg(-1) PHY-N intramuscularly produced death in broilers by spastic paralysis. In conclusion, PHY-N induces nerve depolarization and nonspecifically increases neurotransmitter release.
authors.affiliation: UECE, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel Felipe Vasconcelos
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Nilberto Robson Falcão do
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Paula Priscila Correia
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Victor Martins
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Alex Jardelino Felizardo
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Simone Cristina Buzzo
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Eduardo Britto
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Diz Filho
authors.forename: Fernando José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zara
authors.forename: Manassés Claudino
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fonteles
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Toyama
authors.forename: Marcos Hikari
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Cláudia Ferreira
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008387:Marine Toxins; D051379:Mice; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D035964:Oxocins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D008012:Lidocaine; D008387:Marine Toxins; D035964:Oxocins; D010646:Phentolamine; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D012530:Saxitoxin; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; C546611:brevetoxin 2; D000095702:Polyether Toxins; C042154:gonyautoxin I