Risk palytoxin

Palytoxin isolated from zoanthids Palythoa spp. is known to be extremely lethal (0.5 fig/kgy mouse, i.p.) and to have the most complicated natural product structure (Figure 4) ever elucidated (13,14). The toxin was later revealed to be a potent tumor promoter (15). Yet, health risks due to the toxin have remained unclear, as the zoathids are the most unlikely organisms to be regarded as foodstuff. Recently, however, data are being compiled to indicate the wide distribution of this toxin among marine biota. 

It has been reported that the palytoxin group may cause fatal human intoxications from the ingestion of contaminated fish (Onuma et al. 1999 Taniyama et al. 2003). However, only few data are known about the potential risks for human health through consumption of shellfish contaminated by Ostreopsis spp. toxins. In 1998, a suspected case of human shellfish poisoning was associated with... 

The acute toxicity of palytoxin by injection has been very well evaluated, with good data available on the lethal doses of this substance to many species of animals by various routes of injection. There is no doubt that injected palytoxin, whether administered via the intraperitoneal, intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous route, is an exceptionally toxic compound. There is, however, surprisingly little information available on the oral toxicity of palytoxin. The major focus of toxicological studies on food contaminants such as palytoxin shonld be risk assessment, and since such contaminants are eaten, not injected, in assessing risks to hnman health of food, oral data are of paramount importance. What data there are indicate that palytoxin is very much less toxic when given orally than when administered by injection. In a comparative stndy, more than 700 times more palytoxin was required to kill mice via gavage than by intraperitoneal injection. Similarly, a crude extract of... 

Rhodes, L., Munday, R., and Briggs, L., Ostreopsis siamensis and palytoxin-related compounds in New Zealand A risk to human health Submitted, 2006. 

Rhodes, L. and Munday, R., Palytoxins A risk to human health in Proceedings of the 20th Marine Biotoxin Science Workshop, Wellington, New Zealand, New Zealand Food Safety Authority, 23, 2004. 

Deeds, J.R. and Schwartz, M.D. (2010) Human risk associated with palytoxin exposure. Toxicon, 56,150-162. 

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