Effect of Dietary Administration of Lathyrus sativus Pulse on Intestinal Biochemical Parameters in Normal and Scorbutic Guinea Pigs

Key words: 
• Ascorbic acid /
• BBM /
• Lathyrus sativus /
• Small intestine /
• XME

Abstract: Objective In order to investigate that ascorbic acid deficiency is responcible for lathyrus toxicity, the effect of dietary feeding of lathyrus pulse in normal and scorbutic guinea pigs for 3 months, on intestinal biochemical parameters was undertaken. Methods The intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) marker and xenobiotic metabolising enzymes (XME) were assayed. Results Exposure to 80% lathyrus alone and in scorbutic conditions showed significant inhibition of alkaline phosphatase (28%-30%), sucrase (19%) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidasc (GGT) (15%-27%)enzymes, while Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase was significantly inhibited (38%) in scorbutic plus lathyrus treated group. The phase Ⅰ XME (AHH) remained unchanged while the phase Ⅱ enzyme glutathioneS-tranferase (GST) was significantly decreased (20%-22%) in lathyrus and scorbutic plus lathyrus treated groups. Quinone reductase (QR) activity was found to be significantly decreased in lathyrus exposed group (20%). The intestinal biomarker contents including hexose (25%-34%) and phospholipids (20%-40%) were significantly reduced in lathyrus and scorbutic plus lathyrus exposed animals, while sialic acid showed a significant decrease (28%) in scorbutic plus lathyrus treated group. However, cholesterol levels were signifcantly enhanced (15%-28%) in lathyrus and scorbutic plus lathyrus treated animals. Conclusion The results indicate that oral feeding of lathyrus pulse to guinea pigs can alter BBM parameters as well as XME, which may result in the intestinal toxicity.Further, ascorbic acid deficiency could be one of the pre-disposing factors of lathyrus toxicity.