The extract of the jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata promotes neurotoxic effects

Carneiro R.F.V.; Nascimento N.R.F.D.; Costa P.P.C.; Gomes V.M.; de Souza A.J.F.; de Oliveira S.C.B.; dos Santos Diz Filho E.B.; Zara F.J.; Fonteles M.C.; de Oliveira Toyama D.; Toyama M.H.; Santos C.F.

The extract of the jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata promotes neurotoxic effects

Tipo

Artigo

Data de publicação

2011

Periódico

Journal of Applied Toxicology

Citações (Scopus)

14

Autores

Carneiro R.F.V.
Nascimento N.R.F.D.
Costa P.P.C.
Gomes V.M.
de Souza A.J.F.
de Oliveira S.C.B.
dos Santos Diz Filho E.B.
Zara F.J.
Fonteles M.C.
de Oliveira Toyama D.
Toyama M.H.
Santos C.F.

Resumo

Phyllorhiza punctata (P. punctata) is a jellyfish native to the southwestern Pacific. Herewith we present the biochemical and pharmacological characterization of an extract of the tentacles of P. punctata. The tentacles were subjected to three freeze-thaw cycles, homogenized, ultrafiltered, precipitated, centrifuged and lyophilized to obtain a crude extract (PHY-N). Paralytic shellfish poisoning compounds such as saxitoxin, gonyautoxin-4, tetrodotoxin and brevetoxin-2, as well as several secretory phospholipase A 2 were identified. PHY-N was tested on autonomic and somatic neuromuscular preparations. In mouse vas deferens, PHY-N induced phasic contractions that reached a peak of 234±34.7% of control twitch height, which were blocked with either 100μ m of phentolamine or 1m m of lidocaine. In mouse corpora cavernosa, PHY-N evoked a relaxation response, which was blocked with either L-N G-Nitroarginine methyl ester (0.5m m) or 1m m of lidocaine. PHY-N (1, 3 and 10μg ml -1) induced an increase in tonus of the biventer-cervicis neuromuscular preparation that was blocked with pre-treatment of galamine (10μ m). Administration of 6mg kg -1 PHY-N intramuscularly produced death in broilers by spastic paralysis. In conclusion, PHY-N induces nerve depolarization and nonspecifically increases neurotransmitter release. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.