Saxitoxin

Encyclopedia : S : SA : SAX : Saxitoxin

| colspan="2" align=center bgcolor="#cccccc" | Saxitoxin
|Chemical formula |Molecular mass |CAS number |SMILES | colspan="2" align="center" |

C₁₀H₁₇N₇O₄
299.29 g/mol
35523-89-8
N=C1N[C@@H](COC(N)=O)
[C@HΥ[C@Τ(N=C(N)N3)
N1CCC2(O)O

Saxitoxin (STX) is a neurotoxin found in marine dinoflagellates (algae). It is a selective sodium channel blocker. The United States military isolated saxitoxin and assigned it the chemical weapon designation TZ. It is unique among toxins in that it acts in a matter of minutes. The LCt₅₀ of TZ is 5 mg·min/m³.

The medical importance of saxitoxin is in relation to red tide in shellfish and causes the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) food poisoning. The blocking of the sodium channel produces a flaccid paralysis that leaves its victim calm and conscious through the progression of symptoms. Death is from respiratory failure.

It is listed in schedule 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Though its early isolation and characterization were related to military efforts, saxitoxin has been more important to cellular research in describing the function of the sodium channel.

External links

http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/issues/PSP/PSP.pdf
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/stx/saxi.htm

For a full list of external links to MSDSs, spectroscopic data, commercial chemicals suppliers etc. for this compound, see [Chemical sources].

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Saxitoxin

See also

External links