For Shari and Carol

[Guest guest]

Here's a little bit on anatoxin-alpha. Just to help clear up this

matter somewhat. No it is not found in Klamath Lake BGA, it is found

throughout the world in most all lakes but comes from a different

cyanobacterium.

Anatoxin A:

essential data

Symptoms

and Treatment, Toxicity,

Chemistry,

Site

of Action,

Sources,

Properties,

Terrorist

Interest, IDC

Codes

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Symptoms, Treatment,

Decontamination

Syndrome Name

None

Symptoms

Limp paralysis leading to dyspnea, cyanosis, cardiac

arrhythmia leading to death.

Symptoms may resemble those of organophosphate nerve agent

poisoning.

Onset of Symptoms

Within minutes (<5 min.).

Rapid diagnostic assay

None available. Rapid and sensitive assays are availabe for

use in water monitoring.

Antidote

None available. Pretreatment with 2-PAM and physostigmine

have been effective in prophylaxis in animals.

Supportive Care

Artificial respiration to support breathing, treatment of

symptoms in survivors.

Inactivation

Anatoxin a is inactivated by strong sunlight.

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Toxicity in Mice

Route

LD50(micrograms/kg)

Intravenous

386

Intraperitoneal

200-250

Subcutaneous

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Chemical Properties

Structure

CA Name

Ethanone, 1-(1R,6R)-9-

azabicyclo[4.2.1]non-2-en-2-yl-

Trivial Names

(+)-Anatoxin alpha

(+)-Anatoxin a

Anatoxin a

Anatoxin I

Very Fast Death Factor

Registry Number

64285-06-9

RTECS Number

Molecular

Formula

C10H15NO

Molecular

weight

Solubility

Soluble in water.

pKa in water

Complete synthesis

Yes, but technically challenging.

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Site of Action

Anatoxin A has two modes of action. It binds to the acetylcholine

receptor that receives the acetylcholine impulse from the nerve ending

and acts as an agonist. That is, its action parallels that of

acetylcholine and it stimulates the nerve. However, it is not ejected

by the receptor after binding, so the nerve impulse does not fade. In

addition, it inhibits the acetylcholinesterase that inactivates the

acetylcholine released by normal impulses. The result is an

overstimulation of the muscle that leads to limp paralysis and death

when the muscles of the chest responsible for breathing are affected.

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Source

Anatoxin a is synthesized by the blue-green alga (also known as a

cyanobacterium) Anabena flos-aquae that is a common component of

pond scum throughout the world that is commonly found as a bright green

layer on stagnant water. Animals drinking water contaminated by these

organisms have died in their thousands making a risk to wildlife and

free-range livestock. It is possible that it could be manufactured in

quantity by fermentation if suitable productive strains and culture

condition could be found. It is suspected that the enzymes responsible

for the biosynthesis of anatoxin a are carried on a plasmid, making

real the possibilty of the genetic engineering of producer strains of

more amenable organisms.

Carol wrote:

Hi Shari -

That guy Mark Thorson, who wrote the "Anatoxin-a Primer" implied that

Super Blue Green Algae from Klamath Lake contains anatoxin-a (which he

characterized as addictive), and he said that the company avoids

testing for this toxin because he said it is responsible for the

effects reported by SBGA users. What he was trying to convey was that he thought that all the great

effects reported by SBGA users are actually from the toxin, and not

from the algae itself. Which is just perposterous because there has

never been any toxin found in that algae to begin with. So that's why

the company won the lawsuit against him and he had to retract that

statement.

There are tens of thousands of reported good effects, as many as the

people who are using that as a supplement. Carol

-- In health , "SV" <shavig@...> wrote:

Could have been exactly that, but like I said it's been a number of

years. I took a class today from a very respected raw food chef and

he had some on his table. He didn't use it in any recipes, but he was

talking about supplementation and SBGA was one of them.

I do wonder about this part of the statement however: ..."testing

for this toxin because anatoxin-a is responsible for the effects

reported by SBGA users."

Wonder what "the effects reported by SBGA users" are. Any ideas?

Shari