[Cyclic imine toxin gymnodimine: a review].

Gymnodimine (GYM), an algal toxin first detected from New Zealand oysters in 1994, is identified as a cyclic imine toxin and produced by Karenia selliformis, with imino nitrogen attached on loop-coil. Imine is the poisonous functional group of the toxin. GYM has a low oral toxicity, but its acute lethal toxicity of intra-peritoneal injection for mice is very high. Up to now, few reports have been published on the detailed information about the toxicity mechanism of GYM. Based on limited literatures, this paper reviewed the GYM's structure, producer, toxicity mechanism, carrying animals, geological distribution, degradation metabolism, dose-effect relation, and risk evaluation, and proposed the further research directions on algal toxin.