ABSTRACT
This cytotoxic alkaloid, found in several genera of cyanobacteria, is a recent addition to the field of toxin research. Evaluation of the toxicity of extracts of the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii began when it was identified as the probable cause of the Palm Island mystery disease, discussed in Chapter 5 (Hawkins, Runnegar et al. 1985). Evaluation of the purified toxin started in only 1992, when it was first isolated and the structure identified (Ohtani, Moore et al. 1992). Research activity into the toxicity of this alkaloid is rapidly intensifying as a result of its detection in drinking water sources in the U.S., Europe, Israel, Brazil, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia.
