I Found The Use For Puffer Fish!

[Flattieman]

Hi Raiders,

I saw a small part of "Beyond Tomorrow" tonight, which explained the breakthrough of a Canadian company in using the "venom" of a pufferfish (Fugu rubripes) to procure tetrodotoxin and create a drug for chronic pain relief . This is the same fish that is highly prized for eating by the Japanese and has been used for mapping the human genome .

Here's a link to the article on the Canadian use:

http://www.growfish.com.au/content.asp?contentid=820

...and a link to the genome mapping article:

http://www.pnl.gov/energyscience/11-00/art1.htm

...and a link to a genome mapping publication:

http://fugu.biology.qmul.ac.uk/Publications/FLMP/

...and a link to a pufferfish poisoning article:

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_11...sb10423_fm.html

So Raiders, next time there's a pufferfish/puffer/toady/toadfish/blowfish etc. on your hook, feel free to think "I remember now - they have a purpose!"

Flattieman.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Flattieman

[abiasin]

definately agree i saw the show tonight and thought pretty much the same thing.

And still i hope i never catch one again. but im not that lucky.

cheers.