Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
LATHYRISM, a disease in man which is characterized by muscular weakness and
paralysis of the lower legs, has been recognized since the time of Hippocrates.
Sharma (1) has written an interesting review of the early historical background
of lathyrism. In more recent times, this disease has afflicted some segments of
the population in India and the Mediterranean area, and is generally associated
with the consumption of certain peas of the genus Lathyrus, notably L. sativus
(chickling vetch), L. cicera (flat podded vetch), and L. clymenum (Spanish
vetchling). The precise etiology of human lathyrism has not been easy to
elucidate because of the difficulty with which this disease can be reproduced in
animals. The aforementioned species of lathyrus which have been implicated
in human lathyrism are relatively non-toxic to most animals (2, 4) although
two other species of lathyrus-L. latifolus (perennial sweet pea) and L. sylvestris
Wagneri (flat pea) -produce neurological symptoms in rats which resemble
that of human lathyrism (3, 5, 6).
Year: 1967
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Article DOI: NA
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
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