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D N Roy

Publications and source records attributed to D N Roy.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Lathyrism: evidence for role of the neuroexcitatory aminoacid BOAA.

Lathyrism, a form of motoneuron disease induced by excessive consumption of th legume Lathyrus sativus (chickling pea), presents as signs of pyramidal tract involvement. Primate feeding studies show that beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA), a potent neuroexcitatory aminoacid in the chickling pea, induces corticospinal dysfunction similar to that seen in animals consuming a fortified diet of this legume. BOAA, a potent agonist of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, is likely to be causally associated with lathyrism in man.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

beta-N-Oxalylamino-L-alanine: action on high-affinity transport of neurotransmitters in rat brain and spinal cord synaptosomes.

beta-N-Oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA) is a dicarboxylic diamino acid present in Lathyrus sativus (chickling pea). Excessive oral intake of this legume in remote areas of the world causes humans and animals to develop a type of spastic paraparesis known as lathyrism. BOAA is one of several neuroactive glutamate analogs reported to stimulate excitatory receptors and, in high concentrations, cause neuronal vacuolation and necrosis. The present study investigates the action of BOAA in vitro on CNS high-affinity transport systems for glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, glycine, and choline and in the activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), the rate-limiting enzyme in the decarboxylation of glutamate to GABA. Crude synaptosomal fractions (P2) from rat brain and spinal cord were used for all studies. [3H]Aspartate transport in brain and spinal cord synaptosomes was reduced as a function of BOAA concentration, with reductions to 40 and 30% of control values, respectively, after 15-min preincubation with 1 mM BOAA. Under similar conditions, transport of [3H]glutamate was reduced to 74% (brain) and 60% (spinal cord) of control values. High-affinity transport of [3H]GABA, [3H]glycine, and [3H]choline, and the enzyme activity of GAD, were unaffected by 1 mM BOAA. While these data are consistent with the excitotoxic (convulsant) activity of BOAA, their relationship to the pathogenesis of lathyrism is unknown.

Alanine↗
PubMed1985

Alkaptonuria.

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Adult↗
PubMed1975

Variation in neurotoxin, trypsin inhibitors and susceptibility to insect attack in varieties of Lathyrus sativus seeds.

Ten varieties of Lathyrus sativus seeds were analysed for the neurotoxin (BOAA) and trypsin inhibitor (TI) content. The BOAA content varied from 0.142 to 0.680%. The values of trypsin inhibitor content were also uniform with the exception of two varieties whose values were comparatively low. When the seeds were exposed to insects all the varieties were affected, but the two varieties showing low trypsin inhibitor content also showed some protection against infestation. Variety P-24 was low in BOAA and trypsin inhibitor content with comparatively low insect susceptability.

Alanine↗