Toxicity and Tetrodotoxin as the Toxic Principle of a Brackish Water Puffer, Tetraodon steindachneri, Collected from Thailand

Abstract

A total of 399 specimens of a brackish water puffer, Tetraodon steindachneri, were collected from Thailand during February 1997 to September 1998, and assayed for their toxicity by mouse test. The highest lethal potency was found in skin followed by muscle, intestine and gonad. The puffers which were reared in an aquarium showed lower toxicity than those monitored immediately after collection. The toxin was partially purified by ultrafiltration using a YM-1 membrane and several types of chromatography, activated charcoal, Bio-Gel P-2 and Bio-Rex 70. The toxin was characterized as tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the basis of electrophoresis, HPLC, LC/MS and 1H-NMR analyses.