ABSTRACT
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) occurs following the consumption of shellfish that have been exposed to toxic marine dinoflagellates and contain a potent source of neurotoxins, called paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) (1). PSTs consist of at least 18 different toxins that can be divided into subclasses containing hydrogen atom (e.g., saxitoxin) or hydroxyl (neosaxitoxin-related toxins) groups on the R1 position. Gonyautoxins toxins (GTXs), are characterized by 11-hydroxy-saxitoxin sulfate derivatives (Fig. 1). Dinoflagellates are important ocean plankton that contribute to the foundation of the marine food chain as a primary source of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. The organisms are microscopic, single-cell photosynthetic algae, which during periodic maxima produce local discolor ations of coastal waters. Shellfish poisonings are difficult to control because of the unpre dictable and sporadic occurrence of the dinoflagellates which produce PSTs. The initial
Fig. 1 Saxitoxin and related PSP isomers associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning.
