{"hq_id":"hq-c-org-000175","name":"Palytoxin","context":"human_adult","risk_level":"high","schema":"legacy","note":"Synthesis unavailable: compound lacks vectorizable regulatory classifications. Raw safety data returned.","data":{"risk_level":"high","summary":"Palytoxin (PLTX) is one of the most toxic non-protein natural substances known, with an estimated mouse LD50 of approximately 0.15 μg/kg by intravenous injection — exceeding tetrodotoxin in parenteral potency. PLTX acts by binding to the Na+/K+-ATPase and converting it from an ion pump into an ion channel, causing massive disruption of cellular ion gradients, depolarization block, and rapid cell death. Human exposure occurs through two pathways: ingestion of contaminated marine organisms (fish, crabs, and sea urchins in Indo-Pacific regions — termed palytoxin poisoning or ostreocin-D-related clupeotoxism) and dermal/inhalation exposure from handling Palythoa coral (zoanthid soft corals used in marine reef aquariums). Ingestion causes severe myopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, renal failure, and death in extreme cases. The growing reef aquarium hobby has created a significant new exposure pathway in non-tropical countries — multiple cases of palytoxin poisoning have been reported in Europe and the US among aquarists who handled, chipped, or boiled Palythoa coral, releasing aerosolized toxin. Symptoms include fever, respiratory distress, myalgia, and hemolysis. Fatal cases have been reported from aquarist exposure. No antidote exists.","source_refs":["efsa_palytoxin_marine_biotoxins_2009","epa_palytoxin_aquarium_safety"]},"meta":{"synthesis_version":"n/a","timestamp":"2026-05-01T19:39:26.161Z"}}