Quantification of the putative neurotoxin 2-amino-3-(methylamino)propanoic acid (BMAA) in cycadales: analysis of the seeds of some members of the family Cycadaceae

Journal of Analytical Toxicology
M W DuncanS P Markey

Abstract

Over the past 30 years there have been attempts to link the unusually high incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among the Chamorros native to the island of Guam to the consumption of the seeds of Cycas circinalis L., the false sago palm. In support of this relationship it was recently shown that, when given to primates, 2-amino-3-(methylamino)-propanoic acid (BMAA), a minor cycad component, can cause selective degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons in the spinal cord and clinical features similar to those of ALS. In order to test the relationship between ALS and cycads, we have developed a sensitive and precise gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) assay for BMAA which allows direct assessment of the BMAA content in foods and is directly applicable to the assay of BMAA in biologic tissues and fluids. After the addition of a deuterated isotopomer as an internal standard and transesterication with 2-methyl-1-propanol, BMAA was extracted into dichloromethane and then acylated with pentafluoropropionic anhydride before GC/MS. This method permits precise quantification of BMAA in the low picogram/sample range. Direct quantification of the BMAA content in the female gametophyte tissue (endosperm) of a rang...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 1, 1992·Neurobiology of Aging·M W DuncanI J Kopin
Jun 5, 2003·Pharmacology & Therapeutics·Michael J Strong
Sep 19, 2003·Trends in Plant Science·Eric D BrennerRichard W Twigg
Dec 9, 2003·Genome Biology·Eric D BrennerGloria M Coruzzi
Jan 7, 2014·PloS One·Liying JiangUlla Rasmussen
Jun 4, 2013·Neurología : publicación oficial de la Sociedad Española de Neurología·E Rivadeneyra-Domínguez, J F Rodríguez-Landa
Apr 16, 2004·Journal of Toxicology. Clinical Toxicology·Shy-Shin ChangChing-Ping Tseng
Sep 1, 2009·Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology·Laura R SnyderThomas J Montine
Jul 1, 2006·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·Reyniel Cruz-AguadoChristopher A Shaw
Feb 19, 2011·Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology·S A BanackP A Cox
Aug 14, 2018·Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology·Amanda J FossMark T Aubel
Oct 22, 2013·Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology·Maitham Ahmed Al-SammakDavid Cassada

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Amyloid Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disease associated with the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles. Discover the latest research on ALS here.