288
FINDLAY E. RUSSELL
sea cucumbers. This substance, called homarine, is soluble in water
and alcohol and characterized by an absorption minimum at 240 mp
and a maximum at 272 mp. Although it has been found in many
invertebrate marine forms it appears to be absent in fresh-water
invertebrates. There is a tendency for the more complex marine invertebrates to have a higher concentration of homarine than the lower
forms. Ultraviolet irradiation destroys the material but heating does
not. The molar extinction coefficient is 6325 l/mole/cm. Homarine
does not appear to have any significant neurohumoral effect (Gasteiger
et al., 1960), and the biological significance of its presence in these
animals has not yet been determined.
Several phosphagens have been isolated from the Echinodermata
(Thoai and Roche, 1960). Phosphoarginine has been found in all five
classes, while phosphocreatine is found only in Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea
and Holothuroidea. Phosphotaurocyamine, phosphoglycocyamine and
phospholombricine have not been isolated from echinoderms. While
the distribution of the phosphagens in marine forms may be explained
by variations in metabolism, and their presence as different phosphagens
in genital cells is specific, it has not yet been determined what role they
contribute to the pharmacology of the animal.
A steroid, 7, 24( 28)-ergostadien-3/?-01, has been isolated from the
starfish Pisaster ochraceus (Brandt) (Fagerlund and Idler, 1969), while
another steroid, possibly a 4 ' sterol has been isolated from the slate
pencil sea urchin ( ' 3 Heterocentrotw mmmilatus) (BergmannandDomsky ,
1960). Echinochrome A has been found in the body and spines of at
least four species of sea urchins, while a naphthoquinone pigment has
been identified with echinochrome A in Diadema setosum (Nishibori,
1959).
PBr& (1949) states that the injection of the thermostable extracts
from macerated pedicellariae of Spherechinus granularis, and certain
other species, will kill isopods, crabs, octopods, starfishes, lizards and
rabbits, though it has little effect on frogs. He notes that the toxic
factor can be found in all other tissues of the animal, although it is
much more concentrated in the pedicellariae.
Recently, from the heads of the globiferous pedicellariae of Tripnewtes gratilla (L.), Alender (personal correspondence) has separated
a non-dialyzable, thermolabile, biuret positive substance which
exhibits ultraviolet absorption at 278 mp. In mammals this substance
caused a marked fall in systemic arterial pressure and appeared to
have a direct effect on the heart. It produced lysis of fish erythrocytes
but had no effect on amphibian nerve or the neuromuscular junction.
The extract contained no acetylcholine, histamine or 5-hydroxy-
FINDLAY E. RUSSELL
sea cucumbers. This substance, called homarine, is soluble in water
and alcohol and characterized by an absorption minimum at 240 mp
and a maximum at 272 mp. Although it has been found in many
invertebrate marine forms it appears to be absent in fresh-water
invertebrates. There is a tendency for the more complex marine invertebrates to have a higher concentration of homarine than the lower
forms. Ultraviolet irradiation destroys the material but heating does
not. The molar extinction coefficient is 6325 l/mole/cm. Homarine
does not appear to have any significant neurohumoral effect (Gasteiger
et al., 1960), and the biological significance of its presence in these
animals has not yet been determined.
Several phosphagens have been isolated from the Echinodermata
(Thoai and Roche, 1960). Phosphoarginine has been found in all five
classes, while phosphocreatine is found only in Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea
and Holothuroidea. Phosphotaurocyamine, phosphoglycocyamine and
phospholombricine have not been isolated from echinoderms. While
the distribution of the phosphagens in marine forms may be explained
by variations in metabolism, and their presence as different phosphagens
in genital cells is specific, it has not yet been determined what role they
contribute to the pharmacology of the animal.
A steroid, 7, 24( 28)-ergostadien-3/?-01, has been isolated from the
starfish Pisaster ochraceus (Brandt) (Fagerlund and Idler, 1969), while
another steroid, possibly a 4 ' sterol has been isolated from the slate
pencil sea urchin ( ' 3 Heterocentrotw mmmilatus) (BergmannandDomsky ,
1960). Echinochrome A has been found in the body and spines of at
least four species of sea urchins, while a naphthoquinone pigment has
been identified with echinochrome A in Diadema setosum (Nishibori,
1959).
PBr& (1949) states that the injection of the thermostable extracts
from macerated pedicellariae of Spherechinus granularis, and certain
other species, will kill isopods, crabs, octopods, starfishes, lizards and
rabbits, though it has little effect on frogs. He notes that the toxic
factor can be found in all other tissues of the animal, although it is
much more concentrated in the pedicellariae.
Recently, from the heads of the globiferous pedicellariae of Tripnewtes gratilla (L.), Alender (personal correspondence) has separated
a non-dialyzable, thermolabile, biuret positive substance which
exhibits ultraviolet absorption at 278 mp. In mammals this substance
caused a marked fall in systemic arterial pressure and appeared to
have a direct effect on the heart. It produced lysis of fish erythrocytes
but had no effect on amphibian nerve or the neuromuscular junction.
The extract contained no acetylcholine, histamine or 5-hydroxy-