Pufferfish Toxin Worth 2 Million: Understanding the Value and Danger of Tetrodotoxin

Pufferfish venom generally refers to the tetrodotoxin contained in the pufferfish body, mainly concentrated in the ovaries, liver, blood and skin, and is an extremely toxic natural neurotoxin. Precisely because its toxicity is fierce, purification is difficult and the yield is extremely small, purified tetrodotoxin commands an astonishing price on the market, with one gram worth up to 2 million yuan, which is why there is the saying that pufferfish venom is worth 2 million.

The reason tetrodotoxin is so expensive lies mainly in its research and medicinal value. The toxin acts on the sodium channels of nerve cells and is an important tool drug in neuroscience research, and its use in pain relief, local anesthesia and other directions is also being explored. Add to that the low natural extraction rate and the high cost of artificial synthesis, and scarce things are precious, so the price naturally stays high.

From the perspective of farming, the pufferfish itself is a distinctive aquaculture species, with delicate and delicious flesh and relatively high economic value. Under artificial farming conditions, by controlling feed and the farming environment, the toxicity of pufferfish can be significantly reduced, but slaughter and processing must be carried out by qualified professionals, and ordinary consumers should not handle it themselves.

It should be noted that tetrodotoxin is stable in nature and resistant to high temperatures, so ordinary steaming, boiling and sun-drying cannot destroy its toxicity, and folk detoxification remedies are not reliable. Once poisoned by accidental ingestion, there is currently no specific antidote, and symptoms such as numbness of the lips and weakness of the limbs will appear, so the person must be sent to hospital for treatment immediately, and in daily purchases of pufferfish products, proper and compliant channels should also be chosen.