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Actions of Ptychodiscus brevis Red Tide Toxin on Metabolic and Transmitter‐Releasing Properties of Synaptosomes
Author(s) -
Risk M.,
Norris P. J.,
CoutinhoNetto J.,
Bradford H. F.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1982.tb12596.x
Subject(s) - tetrodotoxin , verapamil , toxin , acetylcholine , chemistry , stimulation , synaptosome , guinea pig , endocrinology , medicine , biophysics , pharmacology , biology , biochemistry , calcium , membrane , organic chemistry
Abstract: A pure toxin isolated from Ptychodiscus brevis stimulated differential release of amino acid neurotransmitters from mammalian cortical syn‐aptosomes together with loss of K + content and respiratory stimulation at 40 ng/ml. The effect was blocked by tetrodotoxin and by verapamil, implicating Na + channel activation and possibly Ca 2+ influx as necessary for the response, although the response did not change upon omission of Ca 2+ . Verapamil was therefore likely to be acting as a Na + channel blocker in this instance. The toxin at 40 ng/ml caused acetylcholine release from guinea pig ileum, which is consistent with the proposed depolarising action for the toxin.