Occurrence of a Tetrodotoxin-Associated Substance in a Gastropod, “Hanamushirogai” Zeuxis siquijorensis

Abstract

A paralytic toxin was detected in a gastropod, “hanamushirogai” Zeuxis siquijorensis collected from the coast of Shimizu. The toxin was partially purified, essentially by a purification method of tetrodotoxin (TTX), and compared with an authentic specimen of TTX.
“Hanamushirogai” toxin clearly differed from TTX in both thin-layer chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviors. Their dose-death time curves in mice did not superimpose on each other. However, it was demonstrated by GC-MS that “hanamushirogai” toxin gives rise to C₉-base (2-amino-6-hydroxymethy1-8-hydroxyquinazoline) when hydrolyzed with alkali.
It was concluded from these results that the toxin is a TTX-associated substance which contains the quinazoline skeleton (C₉-base) as does TTX.