Premium
BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF β‐ N ‐OXALYL‐ l ‐α,β‐DIAMINOPROPIONIC ACID, THE LATHYRUS SATIVUS NEUROTOXIN AS AN EXCITANT AMINO ACID
Author(s) -
Cheema P. S.,
Padmanaban G.,
Sarma P. S.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1970.tb03378.x
Subject(s) - phosphocreatine , convulsant , neurotoxin , biochemistry , lactic acid , lathyrus , glycogen , chemistry , lathyrism , acetylcholine , biology , endocrinology , bacteria , genetics , receptor , agronomy , energy metabolism
— β‐ N ‐Oxalyl‐ l ‐α,β‐diaminopropionic acid (ODAP), the toxin isolated from the seeds of Luthyrus sativus produces head retraction, tremors and convulsions when injected into a variety of experimental animals. In 12‐day‐old rats, it has been found that the convulsive behaviour is accompanied by profound biochemical changes in the brain. The brain homogenates prepared from ODAP injected animals show a higher rate of respiration. There is a decrease in the brain glucose, glycogen, ATP, phosphocreatine and acetylcholine levels of the convulsing animals. The inorganic phosphate, lactic acid and acetylcholineesterase levels increase. These results establish that ODAP is a typical convulsant.