An Updated Review of Tetrodotoxin and Its Peculiarities

Katikou P., GÖKBULUT C., KÖŞKER A. R., Campas M., ÖZOĞUL F.

MARINE DRUGS, vol.20, no.1, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 20 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3390/md20010047
  • Journal Name: MARINE DRUGS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Environment Index, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Keywords: marine toxins, tetrodotoxin (TTX), public health, edible marine organisms, pufferfish, LAGOCEPHALUS-SCELERATUS GMELIN, SURFACE-PLASMON RESONANCE, PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY, IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY, MARINE GASTROPOD NASSARIUS, DURATION LOCAL-ANESTHESIA, TISSUE-CULTURE BIOASSAY, RAT PROSTATE-CANCER, PUFFER FISH CAUGHT, RED-SPOTTED NEWT
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a crystalline, weakly basic, colorless organic substance and is one of the most potent marine toxins known. Although TTX was first isolated from pufferfish, it has been found in numerous other marine organisms and a few terrestrial species. Moreover, tetrodotoxication is still an important health problem today, as TTX has no known antidote. TTX poisonings were most commonly reported from Japan, Thailand, and China, but today the risk of TTX poisoning is spreading around the world. Recent studies have shown that TTX-containing fish are being found in other regions of the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. This review aims to summarize pertinent information available to date on the structure, origin, distribution, mechanism of action of TTX and analytical methods used for the detection of TTX, as well as on TTX-containing organisms, symptoms of TTX poisoning, and incidence worldwide.