Possible toxicity from starches

Toxic component of badly prepared starch from nuts of the cycad tree. Paralysis arms and legs similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Death in 5 years. Also carcinogenic. Possible cause of dementia on the Pacific Island of Guam. 

Al Martini s serum levels of pancreatic amylase (which digests dietary starch) and pancreatic lipase were elevated, a finding consistent with a diagnosis of acute and possibly chronic pancreatitis. The elevated levels of these enzymes in the blood are the result of their escape from the inflamed exocrine cells of the pancreas into the surrounding pancreatic veins. The cause of this inflammatory pancreatic process in this case was related to the toxic effect of acute and chronic excessive alcohol ingestion. 

Properties Wh. toott-wh. powd. starch odor insol. in water m.w. >10,000 sp.gr. 1.5 pH = 5.5 (1 %) = 55% amyiose = 11% moisture Toxicology Possible physical irritant from dust particles particulates may scratch eye surfs, and cause mech. irritation possible nuisance dust by inh. maintain below TWA 10 mg/m low oral toxicity low toxicity by skin contact TSCA listed... 

The work of Stacker [65] has demonstrated that a direct measurement of the plant toxicity of biodegradable materials is impossible. Initiated degradation processes in the test trays had caused a dramatically reduced plant growth. Those effects appeared even if natural polymers, such as starch or cellulose were used and even if the soil was sterilised before the test. Tests with not readily biodegradable polymers should be possible since the microorganism community is not activated that much. In such a case ecotoxic effects will most probably be related to an incompatibility of leachable components from the material. That outcome should be considered for the conduction of bioassays with plants and with other test species as well. 

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