Competitive Displacement Assay to Detect Saxitoxin and Tetrodotoxin

摘要

An assay is described which detects saxitoxin (STX) and tetrodotoxin (TTX) by their competitive displacement of 3H-saxitoxin from its receptor in rat brain membranes. The assay has a sensitivity of 0.15 ng STX/m1 and 0.8 ng TTX/m1 for buffer samples. The assay was also applied to detection of these toxins in unextracted human plasma and found to have a sensitivity of 0.5 ng STX/m1 and 0.6 ng TTX/m1. The competitive displacement assay appears to be the most sensitive procedure yet for detection of STX and TTX. (Author)