Lathyrus
OTHER NAME(S): Caley Pea, Chícharo Hirsuto, Chickling Pea, Chickling Vetch, Chick-Pea, Doncenón, Everlasting Pea, Flat-Podded Vetch, Gesse, Gesse Articulée, Gesse des Bois, Gesse Clymène, Gesse Commune, Gesse Chiche, Gesse Hérissée, Gesse Sauvage, Gesse Tubéreuse, Guisante de Olor, Jarosse, Pois Carré, Pois de Senteur, Singletary Pea, Spanish Vetchling, Sweet Pea, Wild Pea, Lathyrus cicera, Lathyrus clymenum, Lathyrus hirsutus, Lathyrus incanus, Lathyrus odoratus, Lathyrus pusillus, Lathyrus sativus, Lathyrus sylvestris, Guisante De Olor
Overview
Lathyrus is a plant. People use it as medicine.
Despite serious safety concerns, Lathyrus sativus is used in unleavened Indian bread. Lathyrus seeds are eaten as food and used as animal fodder throughout the world.
The flowers of sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) are grown for their color and fragrance.
There isn't enough information to know how lathyrus might work for any medical use.
There isn't enough information to know how lathyrus might work for any medical use.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Any medical use.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lathyrus for these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Lathyrus is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It is poisonous to nerves. It can cause muscle rigidity, muscle spasms, weakness, paralysis of leg muscles, weak heartbeat, decreased breathing, seizures, and death.
Lathyrus poisoning and its complications are rare in western countries, yet they have been documented for more than a century in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Despite the attempt to ban the sale of lathyrus in several states of India, distribution continues.
Several methods have been tried to deactivate the poison in lathyrus. Typically they involve soaking the seeds in water followed by steaming or sun drying. Roasting the seeds at high temperatures for twenty minutes also helps to destroy the poison. However, these methods are only 80-85% effective.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Lathyrus is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It is poisonous to nerves. It can cause muscle rigidity, muscle spasms, weakness, paralysis of leg muscles, weak heartbeat, decreased breathing, seizures, and death.
Lathyrus poisoning and its complications are rare in western countries, yet they have been documented for more than a century in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Despite the attempt to ban the sale of lathyrus in several states of India, distribution continues.
Several methods have been tried to deactivate the poison in lathyrus. Typically they involve soaking the seeds in water followed by steaming or sun drying. Roasting the seeds at high temperatures for twenty minutes also helps to destroy the poison. However, these methods are only 80-85% effective.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use lathyrus while pregnant or breastfeeding because it contains poisonous chemicals. Avoid use.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Lathyrus overview.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of lathyrus depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for lathyrus. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
References
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- Porcel, S., Leon, F., Valero, A. M., Calderin, P. M., Cuevas, M., and Cuesta, E. A. Occupational rhinitis and asthma by Lathyrus sativus flour: characterization of allergens. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol. 2001;107(4):743-744.
- Ravindranath, V. Neurolathyrism: mitochondrial dysfunction in excitotoxicity mediated by L-beta-oxalyl aminoalanine. Neurochem.Int 2002;40(6):505-509.
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- Cohn, D. F. and Streifler, M. Intoxication by the chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus): nervous system and skeletal findings. Arch.Toxicol.Suppl 1983;6:190-193.
- Weintroub, S., Cohen, D. F., Salama, R., Streifler, M., and Weissman, S. L. Skeletal findings in human neutrolethyrism. Is there a human osteolathyrism? Eur Neurol. 1980;19(2):121-127.
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- Lambein, F., Haque, R., Khan, J. K., Kebede, N., and Kuo, Y. H. From soil to brain: zinc deficiency increases the neurotoxicity of Lathyrus sativus and may affect the susceptibility for the motorneurone disease neurolathyrism. Toxicon 1994;32(4):461-466.
- Hugon, J., Ludolph, A. C., Spencer, P. S., Gimenez, Roldan S., and Dumas, J. L. Studies of the etiology and pathogenesis of motor neuron diseases. III. Magnetic cortical stimulation in patients with lathyrism. Acta Neurol.Scand 1993;88(6):412-416.
- Haimanot, R. T., Kidane, Y., Wuhib, E., Kassina, A., Endeshaw, Y., Alemu, T., and Spencer, P. S. The epidemiology of lathyrism in north and central Ethiopia. Ethiop.Med J 1993;31(1):15-24.
- Misra, U. K., Sharma, V. P., and Singh, V. P. Clinical aspects of neurolathyrism in Unnao, India. Paraplegia 1993;31(4):249-254.
- Haque, A., Hossain, M., Lambein, F., and Bell, E. A. Evidence of osteolathyrism among patients suffering from neurolathyrism in Bangladesh. Nat Toxins. 1997;5(1):43-46.
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