Received: October 16, 2007.

Accepted: April 23, 2008.

Abstract published online: May 12, 2008.

Full paper published online: August 31, 2008.

ON SOME TOXINOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE STARFISH Stellaster equestris (RETZIUS, 1805)

KANAGARAJAN U (1), BRAGADEESWARAN S (1), VENKATESHVARAN K (2)

(1) Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, India; (2) Aquatic Biotoxinology Laboratory, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

ABSTRACT: Whole-body extracts in methanol were obtained from the starfish Stellaster equestris. The crude toxin was fractionated stepwise using diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose column chromatography. The crude toxin was lethal to male albino mice at a dose of 1.00 mL (containing 531.0 µg/mL protein) when injected intraperitoneally (IP) but the toxicity was abolished in all cases except one upon fractionation. The crude toxin and all the adsorbed fractions exhibited potent hemolytic activity on chicken, goat and human blood. However, group B human erythrocytes were resistant to lysis by all fractions and group O by most of the fractions. Paw edema in mice was caused by the crude toxin and all fractions. Pheniramine maleate and piroxicam blocked the toxicity when administered earlier than, or along with, the crude or fractionated toxins but not when administered after the envenomation. Pretreatment with either of these drugs also blocked edema formation.

KEY WORDS: starfish, toxicity, hemolysis, human blood groups, paw edema.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE: Tamil Nadu State Council of Science & Technology, Chennai, India.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

K. VENKATESHVARAN, Aquatic Biotoxinology Laboratory, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Seven Bungalows, Versova, Mumbai 400 061, India. Fax: +91 22 2636 1573. Email: kvenkateshvaran@cife.edu.in, venkateshvaran@gmail.com.