Effect of mimosine on the rat fetus

Dewreede, Sharon; Wayman, O.

doi:10.1002/tera.1420030106

Cited by 27 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Leucaena is not recommended for extensive human consumption because, as mimosine causes loss of hair in non-ruminant mammals, it may have some adverse effects on humans, too [132]. In Indonesia, where L. leucocephala is consumed, from time to time, groups of children and adults developed alopecia involving the scalp and eyebrows.…”

Section: Leucaena As Human Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leucaena Leucocephala a Nutrition Profile

Sethi¹,

Kulkarni²

1995

Food Nutr Bull

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Leucaena leucocephala is one of the fastest-growing leguminous trees. Its foliage is used as animal feed, and its leaves and seeds are used as human food in Central America, Indonesia, and Thailand. Mimosine, the toxic, non-protein amino acid in Leucaena, causes alopecia, growth retardation, cataract, goitre, decreased fertility, and mortality in non-ruminants. The mechanism of this toxicity is complicated. Mimosine probably exerts its toxic action by blocking the metabolic pathways of aromatic amino acids and tryptophan; by chelating metals; by antagonizing the action of vitamin B6; by inhibiting DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis; by exerting adverse effects on collagen biosynthesis; and by interfering in the metabolism of some amino acids, primarily glycine. Besides mimosine, other anti-nutritional and toxic factors in L. leucocephala add to its toxicity. Heat, moisture, chemical treatments, ensiling, rotation feeding, cutting management of the plant, new hybrids, introducing microorganisms into the rumen of ruminants that are unable to detoxify mimosine, and preparing protein isolate from Leucaena seeds have all been used to overcome mimosine toxicity.

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Section: Leucaena As Human Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leucaena Leucocephala a Nutrition Profile

Sethi¹,

Kulkarni²

1995

Food Nutr Bull

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“…In the rat, the substance gave similar results when administered electrophoretically either with anionic currents from solutions of the sodium salt at pH 9 or with cationic currents from solutions of the amino acid adjusted to pH 3 with HCI. Mimosine, a toxic substance which occurs in leguminous plants (De Wreede & Wayman, 1970) was not tested in the rat, but has been reported to be an excitant of cat spinal neurones (Curtis et al, 1972). It was considerably weaker than L-glutamate in depolarizing frog motoneurones.…”

Section: Sulphur-containing Amino Acidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure‐activity Relations of Excitatory Amino Acids on Frog and Rat Spinal Neurones

Biscoe

Evans

Headley

et al. 1976

British J Pharmacology

195

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I A series of compounds structurally related to glutamic acid has been tested on frog and rat spinal neurones. The substances were added to procaine-containing medium bathing the isolated hemisected spinal cord of the frog, and their potencies in depolarizing motoneurones were assessed by the magnitude of the potential produced in the ventral root. The electrophoretic technique was used to administer the substances around single interneurones of the rat spinal cord and the relative potencies of the compounds as excitants assessed by the magnitude of the currents required to produce similar rates of neuronal firing. 2 Parallel structure-activity relations were observed in the two series of experiments, suggesting that the receptors for excitatory amino acids on frog and rat spinal neurones are similar. 3 Quisqualate, domoate and kainate were the strongest excitants in both animals, with potencies around two orders of magnitude higher than that of L-glutamate. 4 2,4,5-Trihydroxyphenylalanine (6-OH-DOPA) was a stronger excitant and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) a weaker excitant than L-glutamate on frog spinal motoneurones. The former compound was also a more potent convulsant than L-glutamate on intraventricular injection into mouse brain. The lack of activity of 6-OH-DOPA on electrophoretic administration was attributed to oxidation. SUnlike the majority of amino acid excitants, several of the compounds shown in the present work to have moderate excitatory activity are not anionic at physiological pH. This indicates either that two negatively charged groups are not essential for interaction with a common excitatory receptor, or that more than one type of receptor is involved in the actions demonstrated.

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“…Mimosine (b-N-3-hydroxy-4-pyridine-a-amino-propionic acid) is a toxic L-amino acid found in large quantities in the foliage and the seeds of Leucena glauca and Mimosa pudica [1,2]. As a reversible inhibitor of DNA synthesis, mimosine has a general anti-mitotic activity that affects both the initiation and elongation phases of DNA synthesis [3][4][5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A molecular mechanism for mimosine-induced apoptosis involving oxidative stress and mitochondrial activation

et al. 2007

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Mimosine, a non-protein amino acid, is mainly known for its action as a reversible inhibitor of DNA replication and, therefore, has been widely used as a cell cycle synchronizing agent. Recently, it has been shown that mimosine also induces apoptosis, as mainly reflected in its ability to elicit characteristic nuclear changes. The present study elucidates the mechanism underlying mimosine's apoptotic effects, using the U-937 leukemia cell line. We now demonstrate that in isolated rat liver mitochondria, mimosine induces mitochondrial swelling that can be inhibited by cyclosporine A, indicative of permeability transition (PT) mega-channel opening. Mimosine-induced apoptosis was accompanied by formation of hydrogen peroxide and a decrease in reduced glutathione levels. The apoptotic process was partially inhibited by cyclosporine A and substantially blocked by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, suggesting an essential role for reactive oxygen species formation during the apoptotic processes. The apoptosis induced by mimosine was also accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase 3 and 9 activation. Our results thus imply that mimosine activates apoptosis through mitochondrial activation and formation of H2O2, both of which play functional roles in the induction of cell death.

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Effect of mimosine on the rat fetus

Cited by 27 publications

References 13 publications

Leucaena Leucocephala a Nutrition Profile

Leucaena Leucocephala a Nutrition Profile

Structure‐activity Relations of Excitatory Amino Acids on Frog and Rat Spinal Neurones

A molecular mechanism for mimosine-induced apoptosis involving oxidative stress and mitochondrial activation

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