Paper

Acetyldiaminobutanoic acid, a potential lathyrogenic amino acid in leaves of Acacia angustissima

  1. Jess D Reed1,*,
  2. Girma Gebre-Mariam2,
  3. Christopher J Robinson2,
  4. Jean Hanson2,
  5. Agnes Odenyo2,
  6. Paul M Treichel3

Article first published online: 22 OCT 2001

DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.960

Issue

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

Volume 81, Issue 15, pages 1481–1486, December 2001

Additional Information

How to Cite

Reed, J. D., Gebre-Mariam, G., Robinson, C. J., Hanson, J., Odenyo, A. and Treichel, P. M. (2001), Acetyldiaminobutanoic acid, a potential lathyrogenic amino acid in leaves of Acacia angustissima. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 81: 1481–1486. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.960

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1675 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA

  2. 2

    International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  3. 3

    Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA

*Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1675 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 OCT 2001
  2. Article first published online: 22 OCT 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 6 AUG 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 14 JUN 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 15 NOV 2000

Funded by

  • German Bundesminister für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit (BMZ)
  • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

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Keywords:

  • non-protein amino acids;
  • acacia;
  • lathyrism;
  • cation exchange chromatography;
  • high performance liquid chromatography;
  • nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract

Acacia angustissima has potential in agroforestry systems for forage production in tropical environments. However, feeding trials indicate that the leaves are potentially toxic. Signs of toxicity in sheep are similar to those presented by sheep fed flatpea (Lathyrus sylvestris) hay which contains a high concentration of the non-protein amino acid 2,4-diaminobutanoic acid (DABA). Cation exchange chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and NMR were used to isolate and identify the non-protein amino acid in A angustissima leaves. A quantitative HPLC method was used to determine the content of the non-protein amino acid in leaves from 20 accessions. The non-protein amino acid was identified as 4-N-acetyl-2,4-diaminobutanoic acid (ADAB), previously reported to occur in seeds. The average and range in ADAB content were 16.8 and 10.6–25.4 mg g−1 respectively. This content of ADAB is higher than the levels of DABA in flatpea hay that are toxic to sheep.

© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry

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