Marine toxins

Chemical Defenses: From Compounds to Communities

“…Perhaps the best-publicized metabolites are those that contribute to neurotoxic (NSP), paralytic (PSP), amnesic (ASP), and diarrhetic (DSP) shellfish poisoning syndromes in humans (Yasumoto and Murata, 1993). Although most of the causative toxins and their mechanisms of action are known, the ecological functions and consequences of these compounds are just beginning to be understood (Smayda, 1997;Wolfe, 2000;Hay and Kubanek, 2002;Landsberg, 2002;Zimmer and Ferrer, 2007).…”

Human Exposure to Cyanotoxins and their Effects on Health

“…A wide range of symptoms associated with recreational exposure to cyanobacteria have been described: desquamation, skin rashes, asthma, pneumonia, dry sporadic cough with vomiting and other gastrointestinal symptoms, hay fever, conjunctivitis, ear and eye irritation, allergic reactions, and acute illnesses with symptoms such as severe headache, myalgia, vertigo, and blistering in the mouth. These symptoms were reported in the coastal waters of Japan, Hawaii, Australia, and Florida (25)(26)(27)(28). Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms have also caused similar symptoms after swimming or water contact sports (29).…”

Harmful Algal Blooms: Physiology, Behavior, Population Dynamics and Global Impacts- A Review

“…In contrast phycotoxins have much more elaborate effects. Mortality can occur through direct ingestion of endotoxin of the harmful species (Carmichael, 1996), upon exposure to secreted toxins (exotoxins; Hansen et al 2000) or from toxin vectoring through the food web, accompanied by conformational changes in the toxic principles and their potencies (Shimizu, 1987;Shimizu et al 1989;Yasumoto and Murata, 1993). The impact may be on a directly targeted predator or may lead to indiscriminate die-offs and physiological impairment during food web vectoring (Landsberg, 2002).…”