title: Neurotoxic effect of linamarin in rats associated with cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) consumption.
abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a plant widely used for food consumption in different processed products in rural areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Cassava is a good source of carbohydrates and micronutrients. However, if it is not adequately processed or the consumer has nutritional deficiencies, then its cyanogenic glycoside (i.e., linamarin and lotaustralin) content makes it potentially neurotoxic. In the present study, the neurotoxic effects of different concentrations of linamarin (0.075, 0.15, 0.22, and 0.30 mg/kg) contained in cassava juice were evaluated in the open field and swim tests to identify locomotor alterations in adult male Wistar rats. The linamarin concentration in cassava juice was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the juice was administered intraesophageally for 28 days. The results suggested that the consumption of linamarin in cassava juice increased the number of crossings and rearings in the open field test and caused behavioral deficiency, reflected by lateral swimming, in the swim test on days 21 and 28 of treatment. These alterations are possibly related to neuronal damage caused by linamarin in cassava juice in structures of the central nervous system involved in motor processing.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química Farmacéutica Biológica, Universidad Veracruzana, Circuito Gonzalo Aguirre Beltrán s/n, Zona Universitaria, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. edrivadeneyra@uv.mx
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rivadeneyra-Domínguez
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Luna
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Landa
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Díaz-Sobac
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D002365:Manihot / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D008800:Mexico; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013550:Swimming; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D009570:Nitriles; C005091:linamarin
keywords: Cassava; Linamarin; Locomotor activity; Manihot esculenta; Neurotoxic