The first 'super toxic' in puffer fish has been synthesized successfully

With a toxicity thousands of times cyanide, tetrodotoxin is one of the most dangerous neurotoxic substances in the natural world for the first time has been synthesized by scientists through artificial pathways.

In a recently published study, the powerful chemical has been synthesized in the laboratory so it can be studied in the hope of providing an opiate-like analgesic to people with cancer. letters.

Tetrodotoxin comes from bacteria like Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio , living inside the host. It has been found in the bodies of many marine animals including blue-ringed octopus, moon snails, ocean sunfish and milkfish, but perhaps the most famous example is the puffer fish.

The poison tetrodotoxin in puffer fish has just been successfully created in a laboratory in Japan.

Such poisonous but in Japan, puffer fish is hailed as a delicacy under the name fugu, although if improperly processed, it can be lethal to daring diners.

In fact, a single dose of tetrodotoxin 1 milligram is enough to kill a person, which is why chefs must receive special training to remove organs such as the liver, eyes, and ovaries that contain quantities. tallest.

There are non-toxic fugu farmed meats, but gourmets really crave the dangers and skills involved in harvesting wild species such as the tiger puffer fish (takifugu rubripes), which edible and unique.

Eating, injecting or inhaling tetrodotoxin can lead to paralysis, shortness of breath and even death. Fugu meat is not allowed to be sold in the EU and in countries where it is consumed under strict laws indicating who is allowed to buy and sell puffer fish products for consumption. Even with these sanctions, there are cases of fugu poisoning and death reported each year.

However, at very low doses, the neuroprotective effect of tetrodotoxin can be used to effectively relieve pain for people with severe pain, such as due to some cancer treatments.

Smaller parts of the poison have been synthesized in previous studies, but new research by researcher Yokoshima and his team was the first to be achieved in the laboratory.

Working at the University of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Nagoya University, Japan, the team revealed that they have set up a new chemical pathway to recreate the entire structure of the dangerous neurotoxin tetrodotoxin.

At present, researchers have high hopes that the creation of tetrodotoxin in the laboratory will support research and future treatment for cancer patients.

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