ABSTRACT
The Chamorro people of Guam have been afflicted with a complex of neurodegenerative diseases (now known as ALS-PDC) with similarities to ALS, AD, and PD at a far higher rate than other populations throughout the world. Chamorro consumption of flying foxes may have generated sufficiently high cumulative doses of plant neurotoxins to result in ALS-PDC neuropathologies, since the flying foxes forage on neurotoxic cycad seeds.
Subject(s)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/chemically induced , Chiroptera , Cycas/adverse effects , Diet/adverse effects , Alzheimer Disease/chemically induced , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Amino Acids, Diamino/adverse effects , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/epidemiology , Animals , Cyanobacteria Toxins , Cycasin/adverse effects , Female , Guam/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Male , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , Parkinson Disease/epidemiology , Parkinson Disease, Secondary/chemically induced , Plants, Toxic/adverse effects , Seeds/adverse effectsSubject(s)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis , Brain/physiopathology , Motor Neuron Disease , Adult , Aged , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/etiology , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/mortality , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/physiopathology , Cycasin/adverse effects , Environmental Pollution/adverse effects , Female , Guam/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Iron/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Motor Neuron Disease/epidemiology , Motor Neuron Disease/etiology , Motor Neuron Disease/physiopathology , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Survival RateABSTRACT
The underground caudex of the cycad Stangeria eriopus is used extensively by several ethnic groups in South Africa, mainly as an ingredient in magical potions but also as an emetic. An assessment of two main outlets showed that 3410 plants were sold in the month of July 1992; continued usage of this material now threatens the remaining plant populations. A proximate analysis of the caudex material gives high carbohydrate content with only small percentages of fat, protein, fibre and ash. An unusually high content of sodium sulphate may explain the efficacy of Stangeria-containing preparations as an emetic. The phytosterols sitosterol and stigmasterol are present in a 4:1 ratio while the fatty acid component comprises palmitic, oleic, stearic and arachidic acids. Twelve amino acids were identified in the material, including the non-protein amino acids beta-alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and pyroglutamic acid. The candidate neurotoxin beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine could not be detected but cycasin is present at the levels of 0.17% and 0.21% in fresh and dry caudex material, respectively and appears to be accompanied by the related toxin, macrozamin.
Subject(s)
Magic , Medicine, African Traditional , Plant Extracts/analysis , Plants, Medicinal , Attitude to Health , Conservation of Natural Resources , Cycasin/adverse effects , Cycasin/isolation & purification , Emetics/isolation & purification , Emetics/therapeutic use , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Humans , South AfricaABSTRACT
The environment is becoming an increasingly important factor in the aetiology of cancer. In addition to physical carcinogenic substances, chemical agents, in particular, are identified in ever increasing numbers as being oncongenic. This has been experimentally shown in the case of more than 1000 substances, of which 30 are also regarded as carcinogenic in humans. To be effective, aetiological research should lead to the elimination of the substances which are identified as harmful. In the present state of our knowledge, this will be a considerable contribution to prophylaxis.
