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tetrodotoxin

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tetrodotoxin

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Also known as Fugu poison, Maculotoxin, Spheroidine, Tarichatoxin, Tetrodontoxin, TTX

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin. Its name derives from Tetraodontiformes, an order that includes pufferfish, porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish; several of these species carry the toxin. Although tetrodotoxin was discovered in these fish, it is found in several other animals (e.g., in blue-ringed octopuses, rough-skinned newts, and moon snails). It is also produced by certain infectious or symbiotic bacteria like Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio as well as other species found in symbiotic relationships with animals and plants.

Chemical data

Formula
C11H17N3O8
Molecular weight
319.27 g/mol
IUPAC name
(1R,5R,6R,7R,9S,11S,12R,13S,14S)-3-amino-14-(hydroxymethyl)-8,10-dioxa-2,4-diazatetracyclo[7.3.1.17,11.01,6]tetradec-3-ene-5,9,12,13,14-pentol
SMILES
C([C@@]1([C@H]2[C@@H]3[C@H](N=C(N[C@@]34[C@H]([C@@H]1O[C@]([C@H]4O)(O2)O)O)N)O)O)O
InChIKey
CFMYXEVWODSLAX-QYIGHCJRSA-N
XLogP
-5.9
Polar surface area
190 Ų
H-bond donors
8
H-bond acceptors
9
Formal charge
0

via PubChem

Research

20,466 papers

via PubMed

~24 min read

Encyclopedic overview

21 sections
Contents
  • Sources in nature
  • Biochemistry
  • Biosynthesis
  • Resistance
  • Chemical synthesis
  • Poisoning
  • Toxicity
  • History
  • Symptoms and treatment
  • Worldwide distribution of toxicity
  • Statistical factors
  • Fugu as a food
  • Food analysis
  • Detection in body fluids
  • Modern therapeutic research
  • Regulation
  • Popular culture
  • See also
  • References
  • Further reading
  • External links

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin. Its name derives from Tetraodontiformes, an order that includes pufferfish, porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish; several of these species carry the toxin. Although tetrodotoxin was discovered in these fish, it is found in several other animals (e.g., in blue-ringed octopuses, rough-skinned newts, and moon snails). It is also produced by certain infectious or symbiotic bacteria like Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio as well as other species found in symbiotic relationships with animals and plants.

Although it produces thousands of intoxications annually and several deaths, it has shown efficacy for the treatment of cancer-related pain in phase II and III clinical trials.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “tetrodotoxin” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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