Abstract
A total of 105 specimens of the trumpet shell Charonia sauliae (“boshubora”) were collected from June 1984 through July 1985, at Kamae and Tsukumi in Oita Prefecture. Digestive glands were excised from these specimens and examined for toxicity (as tetrodotoxin; TTX).
1) The frequencies of occurrence of toxic specimens at Kamae and Tsukumi were 43 and 55%, respectively.
2) The average toxicity scores at Kamae and Tsukumi were 15 and 3.4MU/g digestive gland, the highest toxicity scores being 115 and 8.3MU/g digestive gland, respectively.
3) The responsible toxin was partially purified by active charcoal treatment, followed by chromatography on Bio-Gel P-2. Analyses by TLC, cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography showed that the toxin was composed of TTX and related substances.
