Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis

Cyasin, a component of the nut of the cycad tree, a native of tropical environs, produces an acute toxicity in addition to drastically increasing the incidence of Lou Gerhig s disease (amyotropic lateral sclerosis). Cyasin is carcinogenic (102). 

Amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 3. AEA and 2-AG increase in the spinal cord of SOD1 transgenic mice, a model of ALS, to inhibit disease progress 3. CB2 receptor agonists or inhibitors of degradation... 

DETAILS - The berries of the coyotillo bush were well known by the indigenous Indian tribes to cause fatal paralysis. The lag time involved is so long and so widely variable that it would be difficult to figure out what the cause of death was. After several days all traces of the toxin are gone from the system and the autopsy will reveal no specific lesions. Symptoms and progression of the illness are remarkably similar to amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig s disease). 

Kwak S. and Kawahara Y. (2005). Deficient RNA editing of GluR2 and neuronal death in amyotropic lateral sclerosis. J. Mol. Med. 83 110-120. 

Penn, R.D., Kroin, J.S., York, M.M., Cedarbaum, J.M., 1997. Intrathecal ciliary neurotrophic factor delivery for treatment of amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Phase I trial). Neurosurgery 40. 94-100. 

Tliese developments will provide amputees and patients with a variety of motor disorders such as paralysis, amyotropic lateral sclerosis with the means to act and communicate by replacing tlie control of muscles with the control of artificial devices by brain activity. 

Riluzole (Rilutek) [5] a CFsO-substituted 2-aminobenzothiazole, is known to affect motor neurons by at least three mechanisms, including inhibition of glutamate release, inhibition of postsynaptic events following glutamate receptor stimulation, and stabilization of vgSChs. It is the first drug approved for treatment of amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Fig. 12). 

Engel WK, Patterson JM, Tauzin MR et al. (1988) Liver-biopsy abnormalities in amyotropic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol 24, 163. 

Interestingly OPTN mutations have also been found in patients with amyotropic lateral sclerosis... 

---