Cycas circinalis

Some plants regularly eaten by humans contain neurotoxins that pose serious health problems. On Guam, for example, the seeds of Cycas circinalis used to be an important source of carbohydrates. Seeds of Cycas rumphii were ground into flour for tortillas. However, the seeds contain jS-N-methylamino-i-alanine, a suspected excitotoxin that overstimulates and destroys nerve cells. This compound causes a parkinsonism-like disease in macaques (Spencer et al, 1987). Other toxins have been proposed to be responsible for the disease, among them cycasin, another cycad toxin (Stone, 1993). 

The pith of the sago palm, Cycas circinalis, is used as food in India after preparation to remove toxic alkaloidal constituents that occur in this genus and in the Zamiaceae. 

Samples of Cycas circinalis, C. revoluta, and C. laiwaniana were alkaloid-negative. 

P-dV-Methylamino-I,- Cycas circinalis (Cycadaceae) causes mClu-R Class I agonist - 1 a... 

Cycas circinalis, (Cycad, sago palm), C. spp. (Cycadaceae) [leaf, seed]... 

L-BMAA (= p-jV- Cycas circinalis (Cycadaceae) Induces BDNF expression... 

L-BMAA (= p-A1 Methylamino-l.-alanine) (amino acid) Cycas circinalis (Cycadaceae) [Induces NGF expression] (Non-NMDA-Glu-R agonist, Norepinephrine transport) [excitotoxin, lathyrism (neuronal damage disease) in humans]... 

The family of Cycadaceae contains the single genus Cycas. Cycas circinalis... 

The seeds of Cycas circinalis (false sago palm, queen sago) contain the non-protein amino acid beta-iV-methylamino-L-alanine, which is similar to the nenrotoxic amino acid beta-... 

Cycas circinalis (false sago palm) Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)... 

Sago. Sago. Cycas circinalis. Medulla. The pith. 

Moawad, A. Hetta, M. Zjawiony, J. K. Jacob, M. R. Hifnawy, M. Marais, J. P. J. Ferreira, D., Phytochemical investigation of Cycas circinalis and Cycas revoluta leaflets moderately active antibacterial biflavonoids, PlantaMed., 2010, 76, 796-802. 

Certain individuals on Guam and other South Sea Islands exhibit an increased incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), parkinsonism and dementia. The absence of inheritable or transmissible factors in this syndrome led to a search for environmental causes and the identification of the false sago palm Cycas circinalis) as a likely source of the causative agent. This plant contains a number of potential neurotoxins including -N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), an agent with weak excitotoxic properties (Spencer et al., 1990). 

C8H16N2O7 252.224 Alkaloid from seeds of the false sago Cycas circinalis and sago cycas Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae). Carcinogen of significance in human nutrition. 

C20H36N2O17 576.508 Isol. from seeds of Cycas circinalis. 

Carcinogenic properties of nuts from Cycas circinalis L. indigenous to Guam, J.Natl.Cancer Inst., 31 919-995 (1963). 

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