Studies on the non-protein nitrogenous constituents of the seeds of Lathyrus sativus.

The consumption of the seeds of Lathyrus
genus in large quantities has been known to
cause in human beings the syndrome known as
lathyrism1' 2. The various species of the genus
differ in their toxicity and there is also a difference
in the response of the various test animals to the
different species of Lathyrus8". The toxicity
of the seeds is reported to be due to the presence
of toxic substances3". The isolation from
Lathyrus odoratus of beta (N-y-l-glutamyl) amino
-ropionitrile in a crystalline form, capable of
Producing skeletal abnormalities and nervous
disorders in rats was accomplished by many
workers2-2. Dasler2 and Waw Zonek et al9
showed that the toxic portion of the molecule is
beta amino propionitrile4. The chemical properties
of the toxic principle in L-sylvestris wabnesi
appears to be different from those of 8 -glutamylbeta
amino propionitrilew. It has also been reported
that the toxic factor responsible for causing
lathyrism in human beings is water soluble10-12.
No information, however, is available regarding
the chemical nature of toxic compounds present in
Lathyrus sativus seeds. The present communication
deals with studies on the non-protein nitrogenous
constituents present in the seeds of
Lathyrus sativus.