Effect of aponin (from cultures of nannochloris sp.) on canine tracheal smooth muscle

Abstract

Extracellular metabolites from cultures of the marine green alga Nannochloris sp. were extracted with chloroform. The combined extracts ("Aponin"). known to be cytolytic toward the red tide organism, Ptychodiscus brevis, were tested for activity against isolated canine tracheal smooth muscle. The extracts were without discernable effect on the contractile response (at concentrations up to 10.0 μg per ml). The absence of an effect, in this instance, is particularly significant inasmuch as the cytolytic activity of aponin could be responsible for release of airborne toxins of P brevis, and these toxins may cause coughing, sneezing, and watering eyes in normal persons, as well as wheezing in asthmatic patients. The absence of an effect of aponin provides further evidence that aponin is a potentially useful red‐tide management agent.

Key words:

• allergy
• aponin
• contractile response
• Ptychodiscus brevis
• red tide
• smooth muscle

Notes

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, USF Medical Center; and Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, Tampa, Florida.

Dr. Sakamoto is also a faculty member of the Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, Sakamotomachi, Nagasaki, Japan.

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, USF Medical Center.

Chemical and Environmental Management Services (CHEMS) Center, Department of Chemistry, USF.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yuji Sakamoto

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