PARALYTIC TOXINS IN TAIWANESE STARFISH ASTROPECTEN SCOPARIUS

Paralytic toxicity was seasonally detected in every 10 specimens of th e starfish Astropecten scoparius from Pingtung in Taiwan from December 1995 to November 1996. The highest toxicity and the average toxicity of total specimens, expressed as tetrodotoxin (TTX), were 5,938 and 1, 679 mouse unit (MU), respectively. The highest value of monthly averag e toxicity in viscera and other parts were 354 and 247 MU/g, respectiv ely. The toxin was partially purified by YM-2 membrane ultrafiltration and Bio-Gel P-2 column chromatography. HPLC and GC-MS analyses showed that the starfish toxin was mainly composed of tetrodotoxin (88%), al ong with minor gonyautoxin 2-3 and saxitoxin (12%). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.