Bisa dan racun pada Mollusca: Bahaya dan potensi

Many organisms that have prevailed through evolution are in many cases equipped with an impressive array of toxins/venoms for defense and offense. Marine mollusks have long been known to cause intoxication by mean of injection of posion via a venom apparatus or following their ingestion. The Phylum of Mollusca contains two notable classes with poisonous species, namely Gastropoda and Cephalopoda. Many studies have shown that cephalopod saliva generally has a powerfull paralyzing and lethal effect on their prey. Toxoglossate marine gastropods, assigned to the families Conidae, Terebridae, and Turridae, are one of the most populous gastropod groups that use venom to capture their prey. The study of marine pharmacology is important from the point of view of obtaining bio medically useful agents for the treatment of diseases. A better knowledge of the pharmacological effects of toxin/venom from marine mollusks may result in more effective treatment of human or animal intoxications due to venom or ingestion of toxic marine mollusks. Oseana 2015 Vol. 40 No. 2 tahun 2015. P: 19-30 ISSN: 0216-1877