Lathyrism and Socioeconomic Disparities: A Neglected Public Health Problem in Northeast Ethiopia

Exploration of the Diversity of Vicine and Convicine Derivatives in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Cultivars: Insights from LC-MS/MS Spectra

While numerous Fabaceae seeds are a good nutritional source of high-quality protein, the use of some species is hampered by toxic effects caused by exposure to metabolites that accumulate in the seeds. One such species is the faba or broad bean (Vicia faba L.), which accumulates vicine and convicine. These two glycoalkaloids cause favism, the breakdown of red blood cells in persons with a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Because this is the most common enzyme deficiency worldwide, faba bean breeding efforts have focused on developing cultivars with low levels of these alkaloids. Consequently, quantification methods have been developed; however, they quantify vicine and convicine only and not the derivatives of these compounds that potentially generate the same bio-active molecules. Based on the recognition of previously unknown (con)vicine-containing compounds, we screened the fragmentation spectra of LC-MS/MS data from five faba bean cultivars using the characteristic fragments generated by (con)vicine. This resulted in the recognition of more than a hundred derivatives, of which 89 were tentatively identified. (Con)vicine was mainly derivatized through the addition of sugars, hydroxycinnamic acids, and dicarboxylic acids, with a group of compounds composed of two (con)vicine residues linked by dicarboxyl fatty acids. In general, the abundance profiles of the different derivatives in the five cultivars mimicked that of vicine and convicine, but some showed a derivative-specific profile. The description of the (con)vicine diversity will impact the interpretation of future studies on the biosynthesis of (con)vicine, and the content in potentially bio-active alkaloids in faba beans may be higher than that represented by the quantification of vicine and convicine alone.

Prevalence of Neurolathyrism and its associated factors in Grass pea cultivation areas of Dawunt District, North-eastern Ethiopia; 2022: a community based multilevel analysis

INTRODUCTION

Neurolathyrism is an upper motor neuron disorder characterized by spastic paraparesis, which is caused by the prolonged over-consumption of grass pea. It is a devastating disease with great impacts on physical, social, mental, and economical health.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of neurolathyrism and its associated factors in grass pea cultivation areas of Dawunt wereda.

METHODS

Community based cross-sectional study design was conducted from February 01- March 30, 2021 on 631 Households with a total of 3,350 individuals. Two-stage random sampling technique was used to select participants. Multilevel binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with neurolathyrism. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05; and AOR with 95% CI was used to interpret the results.

RESULTS

The household and population level prevalence of neurolathyrism in Dawunt district were 9.2% (7.2-11.7%) and 2.4% (2.0-2.3.0%) respectively. Age (AOR = 7.4 ( 2.6-20.6)), male sex (AOR = 7.8 (3.9, 15.4)), and marital status (AOR = 4.0 (1.3-12.8)) were the individual level variables; family size (AOR = 12.6 (3.0-52.8)), annual grass pea production (AOR = 5.0 (2.3-11.0)), ever feeding only grass pea (AOR = 8.8(3.5-22.2)), ever feeding immature seeds of grass pea (AOR = 6.28 (2.80, 14.08)), high grass pea to other cereals mixing ratio (> 3:1) (AOR = 6.1 (1.1, 33.5)) were the household level variables found to have significant association with neurolathyrism.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of neurolathyrism was found to be high. Ever feeding only grass pea, Grass pea to other cereals mixing ratio (using ratio of 1:1 or more), and Ever feeding immature grass pea seeds were the modifiable risk factors for neurolathyrism.

Progress towards the 2030 sustainable development goals: direct and indirect impacts on neurological disorders

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set forth in 2015 as a blueprint for all nations to create a more sustainable future together. These 17 social, environmental, and economic goals have established targets to meet globally by the year 2030, with a focus on pro-poor initiatives, gender equality, and ending hunger. The relationship of the SDGs with neurological disorders and how the achievement of the SDGs intersects with the future of neurological practice have not been comprehensively examined. However, the incidence of neurological disorders, the outcomes of people living with neurological disorders, and the training of future neurologists can be interlinked, directly or indirectly, with programming for the SDGs and their eventual achievement. Each SDG is reviewed in the context of neurology. This lens can inform programming and policy, enhance research and training, and improve inter-sectoral action for neurological disorders worldwide.

Direct and Indirect Neurotoxic Potential of Metal/Metalloids in Plants and Fungi Used for Food, Dietary Supplements, and Herbal Medicine

Plants and mushrooms bioconcentrate metals/metalloids from soil and water such that high levels of potentially neurotoxic elements can occur in cultivated and wild species used for food. While the health effects of excessive exposure to metals/metalloids with neurotoxic potential are well established, overt neurological disease from prolonged ingestion of contaminated botanicals has not been recognized. However, the presence of metal elements may affect levels of botanical neurotoxins in certain plants and mushrooms that are established causes of acute and chronic neurological disease.