Sweet potato toxins

Sweet potato toxins, 1042 Synthetic dyes, 1001-0132 chromatography of dyes, 1002-1003 classification, application, and colors, 1001-1002 HPTLCofdyes, 1024-1026 identification, analysis, and evaluation, 1002 OPLCofdyes, 1023-0124 preparation of samples and thin layers, 1003-1006... 

Enteritis necrotians (EN), a spontaneous form of enteric gangrene endemic to the highlands of Papua, New Guinea, is caused by toxins produced when Clostridium perfringens of the gut enter a rapid growth phase (41). It has been postulated that the disease occurs in populations which consume a low protein diet, e.g., sweet potato as the staple food combined with TI activity which... 

When sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is infected with the fungus Fusarium solani it produces ipomeamarone (31) and a number of furans (32)—(35) which are pulmonary toxins and which may be degraded mono- or sesqui-terpenoids. The discovery of 4-hydroxymyoporone (36) as a phytoalexin of sweet potato has led to the suggestion72 that the C9 furans may be formed from this by retro-aldol condensation. Radioactive (36) was transformed by F. solani into (32)—(35), and control... 

Ipomeanol. This pulmonary toxin is produced by a mould which grows on sweet potatoes. The toxin produces oedema, congestion and haemorrhage resulting from necrosis of the Clara cells (non-ciliated bronchiolar cells). Metabolic activation by a specific form of cytochrome P-450 in these cells produces a reactive metabolite which binds to macromolecules in these cells causing necrosis. Induction and inhibition of cytochrome P-450 may increase and decrease toxicity and depleting GSH increases the toxicity. 

Figure 1. Structure of 4-ipomeanol, a toxin isolated from sweet potatoes infected with the common mold F. solani...

The ultimate active metabolite may be generated directly within the lung itself, and then covalent binding to lung microsomal proteins takes place. The toxin 4-ipomeanol, which is product by Fusarium solani growing in molded sweet potato is an example of a toxin that operates in this manner. 

Fungal contamination of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) or stress conditions (e.g., treatment with heavy metal salts) often results in the production of stress metabolites, including the well-known hepatotoxin ipomeamarone (44). In addition, the potent lung toxins 4-ipomeanol (45), 1-ipomeanol (46), ipomeanine (47), and 1,4-ipomeadiol (48) are sometimes produced (Burka and Wilson, 1976 Wilson and Boyd, 1974). 

C]-4-hydroxymyoporone with the fungus, Fusarium solani, a common fungal contaminant of sweet potatoes, demonstrated that 49 can serve as a precursor to the lung toxins (Burka et al, 1977). A retroaldol reaction would convert 4-hydroxymyoporone (49) into ipomeanine (47). Reduction of 47 would then lead to the other lung toxins, 45, 46, and 48. 

This family is characterized by producing substances that have dramatic effects on humans and animals the toxins in deadly nightshade, mandrake, and datura the nicotine in tobacco plants and the burning capsaicin in chili peppers. But it also contains cool, juicy sweet tomatoes and bell peppers eggplants, with their rich, creamy flesh and the ultimate in comfort food—the potato. 

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