Jackson Estuarine Laboratory
Purification of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae toxin and its chemical and physiological properties
Abstract
A toxin in chromatographically pure form has been isolated from natural blooms of the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. The toxin is a strongly basic substance, which gives a positive ninhydrin reaction and appears to be a guanidine derivative. A dose of 2·7 μg injected intraperitoneally into 20 g mice caused death in 4·9 min. The purified toxin reversibly blocks action potentials and tension development in amphibian nerve-muscle preparations without alteration of the resting potential. The toxin differs from saxitoxin in some of its chemical and physical properties, and some of its effects on neuromuscular systems.
Publication Date
1-1973
Journal Title
Toxicon
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Rights
Copyright © 1973 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Recommended Citation
Alam, M., M. Ikawa, J.J. Sasner, Jr. and P.J. Sawyer. 1973. Purification of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae toxin and its chemical and physiological properties. Toxicon 11:65-72.