Toxicity of puffer fish: two species (Lagocephalus laevigatus, linaeus 1766 and Sphoeroides spengleri, Bloch 1785) from the Southeastern Brazilian coast

Abstract

In Brazil, where puffer fish are considered poisonous, there are few documented cases on human consumption and consequent poisoning. In this study, toxicity of two puffer fish species from the Brazilian coast was examined. Specimens of Sphoeroides spengleri and Lagocephalus laevigatus were caught in São Sebastião Channel (North coast of São Paulo State, Brazil) between January 1996 and May 1997. Acidic ethanol extracts from muscle and skin plus viscera were tested for mice acute toxicity using the standard method of Kawabata. Polar extracts of S. spengleri showed high toxicity up to 946 MU/g. Extracts from L. laevigatus showed very low levels of toxicity, never exceeding 1.7 MU/g. All extracts from both species blocked amielinic nerve fiber evoked impulses of crustacean legs; this effect reverted on washing similar to the standard tetrodotoxin TTX. The aqueous extract solutions were partially purified using an ionic exchange column (Amberlit GC-50) followed by treatment with activated charcoal (Norit-A). The presence of TTX and their analogs in the semi-purified extracts were confirmed by HPLC and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF)

Clinical and epidemiological study of 27 poisonings caused by ingesting puffer fish (Tetrodontidae) in the states of Santa Catarina and Bahia, Brazil

“…Extracts from S. spengleri showed high toxicity, and, skin and viscera were the most toxic tissues. Toxin concentrations varied from 46.5 ± 4.05 up to 352.5 ± 49.23 in muscle and 78.2 ± 7.61 up to 946.4 ± 60.83 in skin plus viscera 22 .…”

“…A study in Brazil identified the components responsible for toxicity in Colomesus asellus, a freshwater species found in the Amazon region, to be saxitoxin and gonyautoxin 4,10 , toxins associated with PSP and not TTX 23 . Another study of Sphoeroides spengleri, a species found along the Atlantic coast, detected TTX and analogues (anhydro-TTX, Tetrodonic Acid and 4-epi-TTX): OLIVEIRA et al (2003) 22 showed that TTX levels in muscle, skin, and viscera from fish of the Sphoeroides genus are high and a risk to consumers, whereas levels in Lagocephalus genus are low and in theory present a lower degree of risk. Extracts from S. spengleri showed high toxicity, and, skin and viscera were the most toxic tissues.…”

Histological and biochemical studies on the effect of tetrodotoxin extracted from Puffer fish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in albino mice.

“…So, in marine species of puffer fish, liver and ovary generally present the highest toxicity, followed by intestines and skin (Lee et al, 2000). TTX isolated from puffer fish and many other marine organisms has become a useful tool for researchers studying the voltage-gated sodium channel, playing an important role in many biological experiments (Oliveira et al, 2003).…”

Oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in rats induced by poisonous pufferfish (Lagocephalus lagocephalus) meat

“…Food poisoning through consume of toxic puffers occurs especially in Japan and China where this fish meat is considered a delicacy (6,7). In Japan, despite precautions, the annual death rate provoked by pufferfish poisoning is around 50 (8).…”