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Nemertine Toxins

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Handbook of Neurotoxicology

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Abstract

In 1936 a Belgian pharmacologist reported the serendipitous discovery of at least two different toxins in nemertines, a relatively small phylum of marine worms. Bacq demonstrated that an aqueous homogenate of the hoplonemertine Amphiporus lactifloreus potently contracted isolated frog skeletal muscle and stimulated the cat cervical autonomic ganglion in a manner similar to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). However, since the this activity was stable in highly alkaline solution, it could not be due to ACh (1,2). In other nemertine extracts Bacq also found a neurotoxic activity lacking nicotinic-receptor effects, which he referred to as “nemertine.” Both “amphiporine” and “nemertine” extracts caused convulsions, paralysis, and death when injected into crabs. In contrast with “amphiporine” activity, “nemertine” activity only slowly traversed a dialysis membrane. Harold King, an organic chemist who had previously determined the structures of a variety of plant natural products, including the arrow poison d-tubocurarine, attempted crystallization of the active constituent from an extract of 1000 worms. Although this was unsuccessful, the solubility of “amphiporine” activity in chloroform under basic but not acidic conditions indicated that it was a weakly basic compound (3). This was also consistent with Bacq’s inference that “amphiporine” was an alkaloid similar to nicotine.

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  1. The National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, USA

    Edward J. Massaro

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Kem, W.R. (2002). Nemertine Toxins. In: Massaro, E.J. (eds) Handbook of Neurotoxicology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-132-9_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-132-9_26

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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