Toxicity of a Turban-shell in the Pacific

Abstract

Peculiar human intoxications following the ingestion of silver mouthed turban-shell, Turbo (Marmarostoma) argyrostoma, have been described. The poisonings have some resemblance to typical ciguatera, but are apparently distinguished from it. Toxicity tests using mice with the water-soluble and fat-soluble fractions from specimens collected at various islands in the Pacific revealed that the mid-gut gland and gut contents were more or less toxic, while the muscle was non-toxic. The water-soluble toxin was partially purified and found to be non-dialyzable, extractable with n-butanol, precipitable with acetone, and hemolytic. The fat-soluble toxin differed from ciguatoxin to some extent.