CONFIRMATION OF SAPONIN AS A TOXIC PRINCIPLE OF STARFISH

Abstract

The manifold toxicity of starfish has been established by many workers, who recognized on the starfish extracts a depressing action on pulsation of the isolated oyster heart1,2), hindrance of ecdysis of fly maggots3-5) and toxicity to fish6,7) or warm blooded animals. It was reported by WOLFF8), who surveyed various kinds of marine animal at the time of mussel poisoning case at the Wilhelmshaven in 1886, that star fish extracts killed rabbits when injected. There is also an old description on the serious intoxication of dogs and cats orally fed cooked starfish9). In feeding tests on starfish meal with chicks10,11), however, no such severe intoxication was observed, whereas slightly or severely retarded growth resulted when chicks were fed diets containing intermediate or very high levels of starfish meal. This ill effect was con sidered to be attributable to excess of calcium, unbalanced ratio of calcium to phos phorous or vitamin B1 deficiency due to thiaminase in dried starfish meal. On the other hand, neither intoxication nor retarded growth was observed when rats were fed diets containing starfish solubles12). Thus, toxicity of starfish to warm-blooded animals is considerably different according to authors.