Neurolathyrism is disease of past in India since Lathyrus sativus (khesari dal) is no longer used as a staple. So khesari dal is harmless as part of a normal diet. Lathyrus sativus has been a saviour for vast populations under severe drought and famine situations in several countries around the world.
Neurolathyrism has always surfaced only during extreme situations such as famine and drought when other food crops are in short supply resulting in an exclusive consumption of the pulse almost as a staple for prolonged periods lasting as long as 3-6 months.
Humans alone have a unique ability to completely oxidise ingested ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-L-α, β-diaminopropionic acid)- a neurotoxic amino acid. This could also be the reason for not finding cases of neurolathyrism when L. sativus was being used by vast populations as part of their daily diet. A deficiency of sulphur amino acids has been proposed as a contributing factor in precipitating neurolathyrism.
L-ODAP is an activator of protein kinase C and consequential crucial downstream effects such as stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) could be extremely conducive to humans under a variety of situations.
The non protein amino acid L-homoarginine (HA) in L. sativus can be a better substrate for endogenous generation of nitric oxide, a crucial signaling molecule associated with the cardiovasculature, control of hypertension and cerebral metabolism. Low circulating HA is now identified as a strong risk factor for sudden cardiac death.
The presence of both homoarginine and ODAP in L. sativus makes it a potentially important functional food of great value to human health in areas of cardiovascular physiology, hypoxia and nutrition as well.
