OCCURRENCE OF PARALYTIC SHELLFISH POISON IN BANGLADESHI FRESH-WATER PUFFERS

Two species of freshwater puffer fish, Tetraodon cutcutia and Chelonod on patoca, collected from several locations in Bangladesh, showed leth al potency in mice ranging from 2.0 to 40.0 MU/g tissue as paralytic s hellfish poison. In both species, toxicity of the skin was generally h igher than the other tissues examined (muscle, liver and ovary). Water -soluble toxins from T. cutcutia were partially purified by activated charcoal treatment followed by column chromatographies using Bio-Gel P -2 and Bio-Rex 70. Analyses by cellulose acetate membrane electrophore sis and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detec tion demonstrated that the toxins were composed of saxitoxin, decarbam oylsaxitoxin, gonyautoxins 2 and 3. decarbamoylgonyautoxins 2 and 3, a nd three unidentified components which are possibly related to paralyt ic shellfish poison. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.