Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.): orphan crop, nutraceutical or just plain food?

Although grass pea is an environmentally successful robust legume with major traits of interest for food and nutrition security, the genetic potential of this orphan crop has long been neglected. Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a Neolithic plant that has survived millennia of cultivation and has spread over three continents.

Research on motor neuron diseases konzo and neurolathyrism: trends from 1990 to 2010.

Konzo (caused by consumption of improperly processed cassava, Manihot esculenta) and neurolathyrism (caused by prolonged overconsumption of grass pea, Lathyrus sativus) are two distinct non-infectious upper motor neurone diseases with identical clinical symptoms of spastic paraparesis of the legs. They affect many thousands of people among the poor in the remote rural areas in the central and southern parts of Africa afflicting them with konzo in Ethiopia and in the Indian sub-continent with neurolathyrism. Both diseases are toxico-nutritional problems due to monotonous consumption of starchy cassava roots or protein-rich grass pea seeds as a staple, especially during drought and famine periods.

Climatic, edaphic and altitudinal factors affecting yield and toxicity of Lathyrus sativus grown at five locations in Ethiopia.

A 2 years (2005-2006) data analysis based on agronomic, qualitative, climatic and edaphic factors was carried out using 10 grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) genotypes grown at five eco-divergent locations (Alem Tena, Debre Zeit, Denbi, Akaki, Chefe Donsa) in Ethiopia. Crop yield showed considerable variability among locations, years and genotypes.

Effect of environmental factors on the biosynthesis of the neuro-excitatory amino acid β-ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid) in callus tissue of Lathyrus sativus.

Habituated callus tissues derived from leaf explants of Lathyrus sativus L. (grass pea) were cultured under different environmental conditions such as drought, salinity and deficiency or oversupply of micronutrients. The biosynthesis of the neuro-excitatory β-ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid) was induced by feeding the precursor BIA, (β-isoxazolin-5-on-2-yl)-alanine, to those calli habituated under different stress conditions.

Effect of methionine supplement on physical responses and neurological symptoms in broiler chicks fed grass pea (Lathyrus sativus)-based starter ration.

Starter feeding experiments of broiler chicks with raw grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) supplemented with different levels of DL-methionine were undertaken for 4 weeks to assess the toxicity of grass pea-based feed and to correlate it with neurological symptoms. Four hundred fifty day-old broiler chicks were divided into two groups and were given formulations containing 35% (ration I) or 98.

The contents of the neuro-excitatory amino acid β-ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid), and other free and protein amino acids in the seeds of different genotypes of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.).

The free and protein amino acids of nine different genotypes of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) seeds were analysed by HPLC with pre-column PITC (phenyl isothiocyanate) derivatisation. Among the free amino acids, homoarginine was quantitatively the most important (up to 0.

Comparison of urinary amino acids and trace elements (copper, zinc and manganese) of recent neurolathyrism patients and healthy controls from Ethiopia.

Objective: The irreversibly crippling disease neurolathyrism is caused by prolonged over-consumption of Lathyrus sativus seed. The molecular mechanism of toxicity is unclear and more biochemical information is needed.

Methods: The urinary amino acids from 5 recent patients and 9 healthy subjects in Ethiopia were analysed by HPLC after PITC (phenyl isothiocyanate) derivatisation.

Partial involvement of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the neurotoxicity of 3-N-oxalyl-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid (L-beta-ODAP).

Neurolathyrism is a human motoneuron disease caused by the overconsumption of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) that contains a toxic non-protein amino acid, 3-N-oxalyl-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid (L-beta-ODAP). The preventive activities of various glutamatergic agents from acute neuronal death caused by L-beta-ODAP were studied using rat primary cortical neuron/glia culture. Nearly 80% of the rat primary cortical neurons were killed by 300 microM L-beta-ODAP within 24 h.

Neuroactive and other free amino acids in seed and young plants of Panax ginseng.

The seeds and one to three years old plants of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) were analyzed for their free amino acid contents.

Food safety and amino acid balance in processed cassava "Cossettes".

Processed cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) roots provide more than 60% of the daily energy intake for the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Insufficiently processed cassava roots in a diet deficient in sulfur amino acid have been reported to cause the irreversible paralytic disease konzo, afflicting thousands of women and children in the remote rural areas of Bandundu Province. "Cossettes" (processed cassava roots) purchased in several markets of Kinshasa were analyzed for their content of cyanogens, free amino acids, and total protein amino acids.