Association of High Cyanide and Low Sulphur Intake in Cassava-Induced Spastic Paraparesis

Cliff, Julie; Mårtensson, Jerker; Lundqvist, Per; Rosling, Hans; Sörbo, Bo

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(85)90742-1

Cited by 122 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The present method is useful for detection of low endogenous concentrations of thiocyanate (detection limit 0.93 μιηοΐ/l) as well as the extremely high levels (up to 4.1 mmol/1) seen in some urine samples from populations in Africa depending on intake of cassava (3,29). Cassava (manioc, Manihot utilissimd) is a daily staple food for 400 million people (20) and contains the cyanogenic glucoside linamarin, which, if not properly processed before consumption, may cause cyanide intoxication.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme rhodanase (EC 2.8.1.1) 2 ). Determination of thiocyanate in serum and urine is therefore of great interest in monitoring cyanide exposure from tobacco smoke (1), fire smoke (2) and from ingested cyanogenic glucosides (3). Intake of thiocyanogenic glucosides (glucosinolates) present in cabbage and vegetables of the Brassica family and mustard (4), and intake of thiocyanate-containing food such as milk and cheese elevate the thiocyanate concentration in body fluids.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Improved Method for Determination of Thiocyanate in Plasma and Urine

Lundquist

Kågedal²,

Nilsson³

1995

CCLM

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Summary:An improved spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of thiocyanate in plasma and urine. Thiocyanate is adsorbed on a weak anion-exchange resin with strong affinity for chaotropic ions, and eluted with perchlorate. Thiocyanate is then chlorinated by hypochlorite and quantified according to the K nig (J Prakt Chem 1904; 69:105-37) reaction by use of isonicotinic acid and 1,3-dimethyl-barbituric acid. The method affords a simple, rapid and sensitive assay for thiocyanate and has a detection limit of 0.93 μηιοΐ/ΐ. At thiocyanate concentrations of 107.1 and 167.4 μιηοΐ/ΐ in plasma and urine the within-day CVs were 0.69% and 1.1% respectively, and the total imprecision measured for a period of 65 days was 0.98%. Analytical recoveries were quantitative both with urine and plasma samples.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Improved Method for Determination of Thiocyanate in Plasma and Urine

Lundquist

Kågedal²,

Nilsson³

1995

CCLM

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“…Konzo is a spastic paraparesis that causes irreversible paralysis of the legs mainly in children and young women, associated with intake of large amounts of cyanide from a diet of bitter cassava that also causes malnutrition (Cliff et al, 1985;Howlett et al, 1990;Nzwalo and Cliff, 2011). It is worst in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), also occurs in Mozambique, Tanzania, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Angola and there are reports of its recent spread to Uganda (Diasolua-Ngudi, 2015) and Zambia (Mbewe, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health factors associated with persistent konzo in four villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Banea¹,

Bradbury²,

Nahimana³

et al. 2016

Afr. J. Food Sci.

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Persistent konzo is low level incidence of konzo that is not associated with konzo epidemics due to drought or war. It has been reported from Mozambique and Tanzania. Various health factors associated with persistent konzo in four villages in Kasanji Health Area, Bandundu Province, DRC were studied, where there were 38 konzo cases in a population of 2283, with mean percentage konzo prevalence of 1.7%. Konzo occurred over the years since 1951 with 0 to 3 cases per year. Anthropometric measurements of children aged 0.5 to 14 y showed that 47% were stunted, 24% underweight, 16% had chronic energy deficiency and 16 to 24% suffered malnutrition. There was no significant difference between children from konzo households or from non-konzo households. The % konzo prevalence (%K) calculated from the equation %K = 0.06 %T + 0.035 %M, where %T = percentage of school children with urinary thiocyanate levels >350 µmol/L and %M = percentage of malnutrition, gave %K = 1.6 from non-konzo households and %K = 2.2 from konzo households, which agrees with the actual mean value of 1.7. However, the equation does not apply when either %T or %M is zero or for very high values of %K > 9.5. The value of %K is nearly twice as sensitive to changes in %T as to changes in %M, which partly explains the greater ease of prevention of konzo by reducing %T to zero, using the wetting method to remove cyanogens from cassava flour, than by reducing %M by broad based methods.

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“…Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License poor village people who live on a monotonous diet of bitter cassava (Cliff et al, 1985;Howlett et al, 1990;Nzwalo and Cliff, 2011). Konzo is an upper motor neuron disease that causes permanent paralysis of the legs and affects mainly children and young women after childbirth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Konzo is an upper motor neuron disease that causes permanent paralysis of the legs and affects mainly children and young women after childbirth. Many of these people suffer from malnutrition with low protein intake, in particular a shortfall of the essential sulfur amino acids methionine and cysteine/cystine that are needed for detoxification of cyanide (CN) to thiocyanate (SCN) in the body (Cliff et al, 1985). Konzo occurs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Tanzania, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Angola (Bradbury et al, 2011;Allen, 2010) and because of the very large per capita consumption of cassava in Congo (Nhassico et al, 2008) konzo probably occurs there as well.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%