Mollusks Said Can Neutralize Toxin

NY Times ^ | January 19, 2005 | NA

[neverdem]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 5:50 a.m. ET

DARTMOUTH, Mass. (AP) -- The war on terror could have an unlikely ally in a modest mollusk known as the quahog.

Researchers who injected the clams with enough botulism toxin to kill 1,000 people found the shellfish somehow neutralized the enzyme, which is considered a potential bioterror agent.

``Botulism activity was cut in half by the blood of the quahog,'' Dr. Bal Ram Singh told The Standard Times of New Bedford in Wednesday's editions. ``So we think there is some sort of antidote in this blood. If we are able to get that molecule -- and this is a long process -- that might be very useful for human beings.''

Singh, a chemist who has been searching for a botulism antidote under a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, started with small amounts and increased the injections until scientists were pumping the shellfish with a milligram of the toxin.

But the botulism, a muscle relaxant, had little effect on the quahogs. The researchers noticed that the water the shellfish were in became cloudy, a sign that they were secreting mucous.

``We could inject a quahog with enough poison to kill 100,000 people, and it wouldn't die,'' Singh said. ``Something in the quahog appears to destroy enough of the toxin in order to survive it. There will be more to this story.''

[neverdem]

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS fails English usage.

[thesharkboy]

quahog = great Scrabble word

[dirtboy]

So if I go around covered with quahogs, I won't have to worry about botulism poisoning.

[Maceman]

Those quohogs can be pretty fierce though.

[bayourod]

And just how many clams did this study cost?

[taxcontrol]

Hmmm, milking blood from a clam for studying possible chemical compounds.

I know that is a career path I would not choose. I'm sure someone will find it exciting.

[dirtboy]

Researchers who injected the clams with enough botulism toxin to kill 1,000 people found the shellfish somehow neutralized the enzyme, which is considered a potential bioterror agent.

However, when quahogs were exposed to skin cells from John Kerry's forehead, they died within seconds, as their ability to neutralize the toxin finally was overwhelmed.

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Darkwolf377]

"Nurse, three pounds of quohogs, stat!"

[End Times Sentinel]

``So we think there is some sort of antidote in this blood. If we are able to get that molecule -- and this is a long process -- that might be very useful for human beings.''

 

I can read and comprehend, but none the less, I'll refer to this study to justify my daily quahog consumption...

 

YEAH BABY!!!

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[neverdem]

LOL!

[Lekker 1]

"So we think there is some sort of antidote in this blood. If we are able to get that molecule -- and this is a long process -- that might be very useful for human beings."

Code for "send those research dollars this way. My project is way cooler than that other guy's".

[Disambiguator]

Zorba: Anyway the majority of the mollusks are included in three large groups, the gastropods, the lamellibranches and the cephalopods...

Mrs. Jalin: We knew that (she gets up and goes to the set)

Zorba: However, what is more interesting, err ... is the mollusk’s err ... sex life.

Mrs. Jalin: (stopping dead) Oh!

Zorba: Yes, the mollusk is a randy little fellow whose primitive brain scarcely strays from the subject of the you know what.

Mrs. Jalin: (going back to sofa) Disgusting!

Mr. Jalin: Ought not to be allowed.

Zorba: The randiest of the gastropods is the limpet. This hot-blooded little beast with its tent-like shell is always on the job. Its extra-marital activities are something startling. Frankly I don't know how the female limpet finds the time to adhere to the rock-face. How am I doing?

Mrs. Jalin: Disgusting.

Mr. Jalin: But more interesting.

[Seamus Mc Gillicuddy]

Well, if I'm not mistaken, my relatives up in Cape Cod and Fall River told me that a quohog was actually a clam stuffed with garlic, chourice (chorizo), and some sort of bread stuffing. How's that going to destroy toxins? After a night of eating clams and chorizo, I'm toxic enough!!!!!

[Arrowhead1952]

But the botulism, a muscle relaxant, had little effect on the quahogs.

HMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Been eating quahogs there skerry???????

[TASMANIANRED]

Author is an idiot and doesn't do his research.

Botulism is not a muscle relaxer.

Botulism is the most potent neuro toxin known.

The muscle relaxation is paralysis.

[newgeezer]

Mollusks Said Can Neutralize Toxin

I'm tossing this article straight into the Said Can.

[dangus]

For those unfamiliar, a "quahog" is your typical, common clam. From Massachusetts to New Jersey, quahog shells dominate East-coast beaches. They are found quite commonly along the entire Eastern seaboard. They are known for the indigo-purple regions on their otherwise grey-to-white shells, and the tiny ridges on the outside of their shells which, when not worn away, form concentric circles almost like a vinyl record.

[anonymous_user]

We now take you to Asian reporter Tricia Takinawa...

[AuH2ORepublican]

"THE ASSOCIATED PRESS fails English usage."

---

I was going to say, that is one messed-up headline.