Disease relevance of Crotalaria

• Monocrotaline, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid derived from Crotalaria spectabilis, is known to cause pulmonary hypertension [1].

High impact information on Crotalaria

• An outbreak of veno-occlusive disease which was probably caused by consumption of cereals mixed with seeds of a plant (Crotalaria sp.) containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids occurred in the Sarguja district of India in November-December 1975 [2].
• It was found that wheat germ agglutinin and a lectin from Crotalaria juncea were effective inhibitors and that their inhibitory effects could be neutralized by N-acetylglucosamine and galactose, respectively, suggesting that the receptor contains these sugars [3].
• An African youth who had died from primary pulmonary hypertension was suspected of having ingested a herbal remedy containing the seeds of the local plant Crotalaria laburnoides [4].
• A prenylated chalcone 2 named crotaorixin, has been isolated from the aerial parts of the Crotalaria orixensis [5].
• Recruitment of alkaloid-specific homospermidine synthase (HSS) from ubiquitous deoxyhypusine synthase: Does Crotalaria possess a functional HSS that still has DHS activity [6]?

Biological context of Crotalaria

• The Crotalaria group during exercise had increased PAP, RVWI, TPVRI, and total systemic vascular resistance index and decreased BP, O2 consumption, CaO2, CvO2, CI, SVI, LVWI, O2 pulse index, and exercise duration [7].
• The moth Utetheisa ornatrix derives protection against predation from systemic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that it sequesters as a larva from its foodplants (Leguminosae, Crotalaria spp.). We here show, in laboratory tests, that Utetheisa deficient in body PA can make up for the chemical shortfall by cannibalizing pupae [8].

Anatomical context of Crotalaria

• The possibility that the pyrrolizidine alkaloid, monocrotaline, present in Crotalaria retusa exerts a clastogenic effect on mouse bone marrow cells is discussed [9].

Associations of Crotalaria with chemical compounds

• A polysaccharide isolated from the seeds of Crotalaria medicaginea is composed of D-galactose and D-mannose in the molar ratio of 10:31 [10].
• A galactomannan from Crotalaria medicaginea seeds [10].
• Residues of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 were found in the kidneys of poults fed aflatoxin B1; also, dehydroretronecine (the metabolite of monocrotaline) was detected in livers of poults fed Crotalaria spectabilis seeds [11].
• One new isoflavone, 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-2'-methoxyisoflavone (3) and seven, and four known compounds were isolated from the barks of Crotalaria pallida and the seeds of C. assamica, respectively [12].
• Low values in TP, A, alpha G, and beta G and in body and liver weights were observed in groups given the combination of aflatoxin plus crotalaria [11].

Gene context of Crotalaria

• Dry Crotalaria saltiana shoots were fed to strain ASL mice at 50, 10 and 1% of the diet [13].
• Eighty three leguminous species including crop plants, weeds and trees have been screened for their content of leaf protein as well as extractabilities of leaf protein, total N and protein N. Leaves of Crotalaria sericea Retz. showed the highest values for extractabilities of LP and protein N as well as total N content in leaf protein [14].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Crotalaria

• A galactose-specific lectin from seeds of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea) has been purified by fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate followed by biospecific affinity chromatography and preparative isoelectric focusing [15].
• A galactose-binding lectin from Crotalaria juncea and a sialic acid-binding lectin from Limulus polyphemus have been successfully labelled with the Bolton-Hunter reagent and used in the radio-lectin immunoassay determinations [16].

References