Amnesia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Amnesia, including details on memory loss, causes, treatment, brain injury,.

Isodomoic acid C, an unusual amnesic shellfish poisoning toxin from Pseudo-nitzschia australis.

Holland PT, Selwood AI, Mountfort DO, Wilkins AL, McNabb P, Rhodes LL, Doucette GJ, Mikulski CM, King KL

Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson, New Zealand. patrick.holland@cawthron.org.nz

An unusual isomer of domoic acid (1), isodomoic acid C (2), has been found in New Zealand shellfish contaminated by amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxins and was shown to be produced by a local strain of the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis. A bulk culture of this strain was used to isolate 2. The structure was determined from spectroscopic data and was shown to correspond to that of 2 from a Japanese red seaweed, the only other reported occurrence of this compound. The affinity of 2 for GluR6 glutamate receptors was 240-fold lower than for 1, indicating low neurotoxic potential.

Published 16 May 2005 in Chem Res Toxicol, 18(5): 814-6.
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