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The total synthesis of ciguatoxin and 51-hydroxyCTX3C, the two most toxic members of the ciguatoxin family, which is the principal cause for ciguatera seafood poisoning, is described. The synthesis, effected from the corresponding left and right wing fragments in a minimum number of steps, is based on a second generation strategy combined with a stereo- and chemoselective radical cyclization process.

It was possible to determine the absolute configurations of ciguatoxin (CTX) and the ciguatoxin precursor CTX4A with very small amounts of toxins when a new chiral fluorescent reagent was used in combination with the CD exciton chirality method. This research has produced stereochemical information that should considerably boost synthetic efforts towards CTX. In the long term, it should be possible to undertake pharmacological, immunological and toxicological studies of ciguatera.

A study was done on gambierol which was isolated from the marine dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus. It was shown that there is a similarity between gambierol and ciguatoxin in molecular size, chromatographic properties and symptoms shown in mice. This validates the theory that G. toxicus is the real cause of ciguatera. In addition it was shown that ciguatera toxins are diverse in presentation.