1 Brassica vegetables are the major source of glucosinolates in the human diet. Certain glucosinolates are readily converted into goitrogenic species, notably 5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thione and thiocyanate ion. The effect of dietary Brussels sprouts, a particularly rich source of such glucosinolates, on thyroid function has been examined. 2 Inclusion of cooked Brussels sprouts (150 g daily for 4 weeks) into a normal diet of 10 volunteer subjects had no effect on thyroid function as determined by measurement of thyrotrophic hormone, thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine even though the sprouts contained high concentrations (220 mg/100 g) of glucosinolates. 3 In view of the reported antithyroid activity of 5-vinyloxazolidine-2-thione it is suggested that this lack of activity of cooked Brussels sprouts is due to inactivation during cooking of myrosinase, the specific glucosinolate-degrading enzyme.
1 Solanidine, a steroidal alkaloid, and its glycosides have been reported to have caused poisoning in man and animals. These alkaloids are normally present in small amounts in potatoes. Measurement of solanidine in body fluid would be expected to establish the real incidence of acute toxicity and help to resolve the question of any chronic toxicity including teratogenicity. 2 We report the detection of solanidine in the serum of 57 normal healthy volunteer subjects in whom it measured 4.0-56.3 nmol/l (1.6-22.5 ng/ml) before the midday meal. There was a significant correlation between serum solanidine concentration and normal dietary intake of potato by the individual concerned. 3 When two subjects abstained from potato and its products serum solanidine fell markedly and became minimal after the second week onwards.
1 Radioimmunoassay methods are described for measuring potentially toxic potato glycoalkaloids and the aglycone solanidine in human serum and saliva. 2 Solanidine and total alkaloid concentrations in serum and saliva during the summer are given for a group of subjects from the UK and a group from Sweden. Serum concentrations ranged from 3.2 to > 125 nmol/l for total alkaloid and 2.5 to 92.5 nmol/l for solanidine and were comparable in the two populations. Salivary total alkaloid concentrations were only about 10% of serum values. Salivary solanidine concentrations did not exceed 20% of the serum levels. Good correlation was found between serum and salivary alkaloid concentrations ( r = 0.734, for solanidine; r = 0.892 for total alkaloid). 3 Serum and salivary alkaloid concentrations were significantly raised in a group of Swedish subjects eating potatoes containing unusually high concentrations of alkaloids when compared with those in a group of subjects eating their normal diets.
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