Author/Editor     Alexander, Jan; Benford, Diane J; Boobis, Alan; Ceccatelli, Sandra; Cravedi, Jean-Pierre; Di Domenico, Alessandro; Doerge, Daniel; Dogliotti, Eugenia; Edler, Lutz; Filipič, Metka
Title     Marine biotoxins in shellfish - Domoic acid: Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain
Type     monografija
Place     Parma
Publisher     European Food Safety Authority
Publication year     2009
Volume     str. 61
Language     eng
Abstract     Domoic acid (DA) and its isomers are marine biotoxins causing amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) in humans. Symptoms of ASP include gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal cramps) and/or neurological symptoms (confusion, loss of memory, or other serious signs such as seizure orcoma) occurring within 24-48 hours after consuming contaminated shellfish. DA is a water-soluble cyclic amino acid mainly produced by marine red algae ofthe genus Chondria and diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitschia. The first confirmed outbreak of ASP occurred in Canada in 1987 and was related to mussels affected by a bloom of the Pseudonitzschia f. multiseries. DA isomers have also been detected in shellfish in the United States and in a number of European countries. Although several isomers of DA (diastereoisomer epi-domoicacid (epi-DA) and isodomoic acids (iso-DAs)) have been identified data on the occurrence only of DA and epi-DA (expressed as sum DA) have been reported. The toxicological database for DA is limited, comprising mostly studies on the acute toxicity in rodents and Cynomolgus monkeys following administration by parenteral routes and with few studies with oral administration. Neurotoxicity is the critical toxicological effect identified in experimental animals as well as in humans. The toxic effects of DA are mediated through its high affinity binding and agonist activity on some forms of glutamate receptors particularly in certain regions (e.g. hippocampus) of the brain. The few data available indicate that Cynomolgus monkeys are more sensitive than rodents.