Cardiovascular effects of toxins isolated from the cnidarian Chironex fleckeri Southcott

1. Two unstable high molecular weight toxins have been isolated from tentacles of Chironex fleckeri by exclusion chromatography. Both are cardiotoxic; the lower molecular weight fraction is also a potent haemolysin.2. Both toxins reduce the rate, amplitude of contraction and coronary flow in the isolated, perfused guinea-pig heart. Relative to the mouse lethal dose the haemolytic fraction is less potent in this preparation than the purely cardiotoxic fraction.3. Both toxins cause a rise in arterial pressure in anaesthetized rats and rabbits by a direct action on the vascular musculature. This is followed by hypotension, bradycardia and cardiac irregularity. An increase in respiratory rate is followed by apnoea of variable duration, which is associated with a rise in arterial pressure. Animals frequently show arterial pressure oscillations with periods of apnoea interspersed with hyperpnoea.4. The carotid occlusion reflex is depressed during hypotensive periods after both toxins, although (-)-noradrenaline can still elicit a marked pressor response. Bilateral cervical vagotomy has but little effect on the response to either toxin, save to prevent hyperpnoea, but radical denervation of sinoaortic afferents reduces the arterial pressure fall after the initial hypertensive response, suggesting that this fall is due to a combination of baroreceptor stimulation and a fall in cardiac output. Blood pressure oscillations are still seen, possibly due to central stimulation by hypercapnia.5. Interference with the efferent arm of the vasomotor reflex arc with hexamethonium, bretylium or phenoxybenzamine either abolishes or markedly reduces the blood pressure oscillations without affecting the initial hypertensive response.6. The cardiovascular effects of the two toxins are thought to be due to direct vasoconstriction, cardiotoxicity, baroreceptor stimulation and possibly depression of the vasomotor centre. The resultant disordering of the feed-back system regulating vasomotor tone leads to the characteristic arterial pressure oscillations.