Among these is maytansine , an ansa macrolide isolated from several Maytenus species of the plant genus Celastraceae. Severe toxicity is often found in complex polyketides. These are potent ichthyotoxins and cause massive fish kills. While they do not appear to cause significant human toxicity, they can cause irritation of the eyes and throat due to the aerosol action of the waves in coastal areas. These compounds bind to the sodium channel and cause persistant activation, increasing sodium ion flux, and depolarization of excitable cells.
Death probably occurs from cardiac and respiratory paralysis.