A Study of the 263 nm Chromophore of Palytoxin

Abstract

Palytoxin is a marine toxin isolated from a coelenterate; Palythoa toxica. It has a LD50 of 0.15 ug/kg in mice when administered intravenously, making it the most toxic substance known other than polypeptide toxins. It has also been shown to be effective in the control of Erlich ascites tumor; completely controlling the tumor at ;the extremely low dosage of 84.4 ng/kg. It also has marginal activity against P- 388 lymphocytic: leukemia in mice.