Onchidals Onchidella

One of the first interesting structures with cholinergic properties isolated from a marine source is the chemical onchidal. This compound was first isolated from the mollusc Onchidella binneyi and has an acetate ester similar to acetylcholine. Upon isolation, onchidal was discovered to be an active site-directed irreversible inhibitor of AChE (Abramson et ah, 1989). 

Onchidal is a toxic component of a certain poisonous marine opisthobranch mollusc. Like other opisthobranchs, the Onchidiacea family of molluscs does not have the protection of a hard external shell as do most molluscs. They rely instead on the production of a defensive secretion. When the animal is disturbed it secretes a viscous fluid from specialized glands. In two species of Onchidella Onchidella Jhr-idanun and Onchidella borealis), this defensive secretion has been shown to act as a deterrent to potential predators, including fish and crabs. Chemically, it is a simple lipophilic acetate ester (see Figure 11.1). 

TABLE 11.1. Concentration of onchidal in different species of Onchidella (Abramson et al., 1989)... 

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