A neurotoxic compound has been isolated from the seeds of Lathyrus sativus in 0.5% yield and characterized as d-N-oxalyl-L-cud-diaminopropionic acid. The compound is highly acidic in character and forms oxalic acid and diaminopropionic acid on acid hydrolysis. The compound has a specific rotation of -36.9°and has apparent pK values in the order of 1.95, 2.95, and 9.25, corresponding to the two carboxyl and one amino functions, respectively. The compound has been synthesized by reacting an aqueous methanolic solution of the copper complex of l-,/3-diaminopropionic acid prepared at pH 4.5-5.0 with dimethyl oxalate under controlled pH conditions and isolating the compound by chromatography on a Dowex 50-H + column after precipitating the copper. The compound induced severe neurological symptoms in dayold chicks at the level of 20 mg/chick, but not in rats or mice. It also inhibited the growth of several microorganisms and of the insect larva Corcyra cephalonica Staint. L-Homoarginine had no neural action in chicks. It is suggested that the neurotoxic compound is species specific in its action and may be related to "neurolathyrism" associated with the human consumption of L. sativus seeds.The clinical syndrome "neurolathyrism" is attributed to the prolonged consumption of the seeds of several species of Lathyrus and notably Lathyrus sativus (Ganapathy and Dwivedi, 1961). The latter is grown and consumed under famine conditions in certain parts of central India. Patients suffering from this disease are afflicted by symptoms which are primarily of a neurological character. Though many explanations have been advanced and much research work has been carried out to characterize the causative factor (s), the etiology of this crippling disease is still unknown (Strong, 1956; Nutrition Reviews, 1963). Ressler et al. (1961) have reported the presence of L-,diaminobutyric acid, a neurotoxic compound in the seeds of L. latifolius and the same has also been detected in eleven other species of Lathyrus by Bell (1962a). However, this neurotoxic compound has not been detected in the seeds of L. sativus (Bell, 1962b). Recently Ressler (1962) reported the presence of ßcyano-L-alanine in the seeds of Vicia sativa, a common vetch which is reported as a contaminant of L. sativus seeds (Anderson et al., 1924) and suggested that the toxicity of the seeds might be due to this contaminant.

BackgroundIndia has the second largest diabetic population (61 million) and tobacco users (275 million) in the world. Data on smoking cessation among diabetic patients are limited in low and middle income countries. The objective of the study was to document the effectiveness of diabetic specific smoking cessation counseling by a non-doctor health professional in addition to a cessation advice to quit, delivered by doctors.MethodsIn our parallel-group randomized controlled trial, we selected 224 adult diabetes patients aged 18 years or older who smoked in the last month, from two diabetes clinics in South India. Using a computer generated random sequence with block size four; the patients were randomized equally into intervention-1 and intervention-2 groups. Patients in both groups were asked and advised to quit smoking by a doctor and distributed diabetes specific education materials. The intervention-2 group received an additional diabetes specific 30 minutes counseling session using the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist and Arrange), and 5 Rs (Relevance, Risks, Rewards, Roadblocks and Repetition) from a non-doctor health professional. Follow up data were available for 87.5% of patients at six months. The Quit Tobacco International Project is supported by a grant from the Fogarty International Centre of the US National Institutes of Health (RO1TW005969-01).The primary outcomes were quit rate (seven day smoking abstinence) and harm reduction (reduction of the number of cigarettes / bidis smoked per day > 50% of baseline use) at six months.ResultsIn the intention to treat analysis, the odds for quitting was 8.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1-17.1] for intervention-2 group compared to intervention-1 group. Even among high level smokers the odds of quitting was similar. The odds of harm reduction was 1.9 (CI: 0.8-4.1) for intervention-2 group compared to intervention-1 group.ConclusionsThe value addition of culturally sensitive diabetic specific cessation counseling sessions delivered by non-doctor health professional was an impressive and efficacious way of preventing smoking related diabetic complications.Trial RegistrationClinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2012/01/002327)

No abstract

Either 50 mg 1(-)tryptophane or 1.0 mg nicotinic acid per 100 gms of ration completely counteracts the growth retardation caused by the inclusion of 40 per cent. corn grits in a low protein ration. A possible explanation of this observation is discussed.

No abstract