This essay will discuss the question of “Should people be allowed to eat fugu given the risks?”, with detailed explanation to the science behind fugu poisoning. The target audience is for anyone who is interested in eating fugu, anyone who eats fugu, and anyone who is interested to just know about how it works. Fugu eating has been around Japan since about 10,000 B.C . It’s one of the most historical food in Japan. However despite the taste of this delicacy, fugu is also highly poisonous. fugu was banned after a mass poisoning of troops took place in the late 1500s, until the ban was lifted by the first prime minister of Japan. (Jeffrey Hays, 2013) Deaths from fugu are still occurring each year, and compare to other food poisoning, the fatality rate of fugu poisoning is very high, sitting on a 3.1% for the last ten years. (Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health, 2014)
Biochemistry behind the issue - (marked as KU1, KU2, KU3 on …show more content…
Being larger in size than the sodium ion, Tetrodotoxin acts like a plug, preventing the flow of sodium ions until it slowly diffuses off. The sodium channels located on nerve cells are responsible for sensitizing shield. The channels act as gates that regulate the entry of sodium ions across the cell membrane, and is important in the transmission pain intensity signals to the brain. Tetrodotoxin reduces the activity of sense ties nerve cells by selectively reversibly blocking the sodium channels. Although sodium channels are complex structures. Tetrodotoxin selectively binds to the outer for the channel, this block sodium ions from entering the nerve altogether, therefore interrupting or preventing nerve conduction. As a result persistent in chronic pain may be relieved. Without the morphine like side effects associated with existing pain management drugs. (WEX Pharmaceuticals,
Biochemistry behind the issue - (marked as KU1, KU2, KU3 on …show more content…
Being larger in size than the sodium ion, Tetrodotoxin acts like a plug, preventing the flow of sodium ions until it slowly diffuses off. The sodium channels located on nerve cells are responsible for sensitizing shield. The channels act as gates that regulate the entry of sodium ions across the cell membrane, and is important in the transmission pain intensity signals to the brain. Tetrodotoxin reduces the activity of sense ties nerve cells by selectively reversibly blocking the sodium channels. Although sodium channels are complex structures. Tetrodotoxin selectively binds to the outer for the channel, this block sodium ions from entering the nerve altogether, therefore interrupting or preventing nerve conduction. As a result persistent in chronic pain may be relieved. Without the morphine like side effects associated with existing pain management drugs. (WEX Pharmaceuticals,