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Molecular Structure and Functions of Collagen
Published in Marcel E. Nimni, Collagen, 1988
Marcel E. Nimni, Robert D. Harkness
In connective tissue disorders lathyrism is used to describe primarily a defect in collagen metabolism associated with the ingestion or injection of BAPN (β-amino propionitrile and its chemical analogs) or extracts of the sweet pea or other members of the lathyrus family. The syndrome itself comprises two distinct entities that have been comprehensively reviewed.253 The terms neurolathyrism and osteolathyrism were coined by Selye254 to describe the two seemingly unrelated metabolic effects. Neurolathyrism occurs in a variety of animals, including man; thus far, three distinct chemical agents have been isolated from the aforementioned plants that seem to be responsible for this condition. Clinical manifestations include spastic paraplegia, and degenerative changes are noted in histopathologic sections of the spinal cord. Epidemics of neurolathyrism have been described over the centuries and a historical review is provided in the reference cited above.
Prolonged consumption of grass pea (64 g/Cu/day) along with millets and other cereals causes no neurolathyrism
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2021
R. Hari Kumar, Arjun Khandare, A. Laxmaiah, I. Meshram, N. Arlappa, Vakdevi Validandi, K. Venkaiah, P. Amrutha Rao, P. V. Sunu, V. Bhaskar, G. S. Toteja
Neurolathyrism manifests only when grass pea is consumed as the sole diet for an extended period. Epidemiological investigations in the affected communities also implicate associated nutritional deficiencies such as sulfur amino acids and possibly trace element deficiencies [8] as contributing factors in the onset of the disease. Many studies have reported that grass pea is consumed in a variety of forms [9,10,31] but very few have attempted to associate the type of grass pea preparation with the risk of neurolathyrism. Due to the lack of good animal model to study the disease, our attempt was to look into the total food intake including grass pea of the community where grass pea is being cultivated and consumed. The data collected through FFQ and 24 h food recall method are strictly quantitative which suggested that the daily consumers were 30 and never consumers 89 HHs out of total 5758 HHs. It is well known that methionine and cysteine are deficient in grass pea, moreover methionine is an essential sulphur-containing amino acid, and it has a lot of metabolic functions, including in the central nervous system [32]. In the present study, millets and cereals, which are richer in the sulphur amino acids, were being consumed together were more (495 ± 171.4) than SGP (64 ± 40.14 g/Cu/day) [33] which compensates for the methionine deficiency in the SGP. The well-balanced diet with essential amino acids, lower levels of the toxin intake can explain the reduced risk of neurolathyrism reported with the consumption of grass pea mixed with more than one-third of cereals [6,10]. The similar results revealed in the present study where we did not find any case of neurolathyrism and its symptoms though they were consuming SGP (64 ± 40.14 g/Cu/day). It is very important that during food shortages cereals should be made available to the less-affluent group of society and advise them to mix grass pea in proper ratio so as to communities at risk of neurolathyrism may be protected. Some other methods also proved effective like fermentation has established its dual effect of reducing the content of β-ODAP and improving the balance of essential amino acids [34]. The other protective method is addition of condiments (ginger, garlic and onion) having antioxidant activity [35] to the gravy prepared from grass pea. In the present study, the consumers did not use the condiments to prepare gravy, however, they used green leafy vegetables which contains antioxidants might be the additional reason for the reduced risk of neurolathyrism.