Glorina N. Pocsidio
Natural Sciences Research Institute
College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman
doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.1999.5765
Abstract
Extraction and bioassay for polar lipid toxins in Siganus spinus (Linnaeus), implicated in a human poisoning case in La Union, and other members of Family Siganidae namely S. canaliculatus (Mungo Park), S. virgatus (Cuvier & Valenciennes), S. guttatus (Bloch), and S. punctatissimus Fowler & Bean from several locales found toxins in the fish viscera that could amount to 10 MU/100g. One Mouse Unit (MU) was defined as the amount of toxin that can kill a 20g mouse within 24 hours. Histopathological analysis in experimental mice revealed damages in the ventricular myocardium and other tissues which could be caused by maitotoxin most possibly present in the extracts. Kymograms of frog neuromuscular and heart activity suggested both ciguatoxin-like and maitotoxin-like effects. The gut contents of Siganid fish as well as the La Union reef included algae which are known preferred substrates of ciguateric poison-elaborating dinoflagellates.