• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 2016

This study is to investigate the biological, biochemical and cytotoxic effects of puffer fish (Arothron stellatus) toxin extracts under in-vitro condition. Extracted toxins from various organs of puffer fish were purified by using active charcoal column, and Bio-gel-P2 column chromatography. The lethality of toxin was tested in crabs, which consists of neurotoxic compounds. The degree of the brine shrimp lethality assay was found directly proportional to the concentration of the toxin extracts, which was well supported by hemolytic assay. The experimental results suggested that the gonad was found higher toxins than the liver and muscles. The mortality rate of brine shrimp nauplii was increased with the raise of concentrations of toxin level. Among the different doses and time dependent cytotoxic effect of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells were showed $4.0{\mu}g/mL$ of toxin, which was effectively inhibited cancer cell proliferation. HPLC and TLC analysis was revealed that the A. stellatus toxin contains tetrodotoxin (TTX), related compounds 4-epi TTX and anhydro-TTX. The present results suggested that the A. stellatus contain TTX as a major and anh-TTX as a minor toxin. It could be the potential candidate in the field of anticancer drug discovery against human cervical cancer cells. The present data is confirming that the puffer fish toxin as an interesting source of novel bioactive natural compounds with potent applications in pharmacology.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.309-316
• /
• 1998

Twenty seven species of pufferfishes (family Tetraodontidae) have been examined to find their generic characters based on olfactory organ, lateral line system, prickles, body form and color characters of specimens collected in 20 places along the coast of Korea from September, 1989 to July, 1994. Based on nostril shape, the genera of Takifugu, Lagocephalus, Plurancanthus, Spheoides and Feroxodon have two nostrils, and those of Ephippion and Canthigaster have a single nostril or nasal tentacle, while Boesernanichthys, Arothron and Chelonodon have no nostril. In the genera of Lagocephalus, Spheoides, Boesemanichthys, Arothron and Feroxodon have only a single well-developed lateral line on the body, in those of Takifugu and Plurancanthus usually have two lateral lines, and those of Chelonodon and Ephippion have two lateral lines merged on the caudal peduncle. Based on the lateral line system and olfactory organ, genus Canthigaster has different characters from the other genera of the family Tetraodontidae. In Ephippion guttifer, the prickles on the dorsal and lateral of the body are enormously enlarged into plates forming a partial carapace. Of the 22 species which have prickly spines, the genera, Lagocephalus, Takifugu stictonotus and Arothron Stellatus have the larger ventral pricklyy spines than the dorsal ones. In genera Lagocephalus most of the species have prickly spines that coverd both the back and belly, while L. inermis has no prickly spines.