Which Enzyme Does BOAA Inhibit? Understanding the Neurotoxic Pathway
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4 min read
Neurolathyrism, a devastating motor neuron disease, is caused by consuming large quantities of the chickling pea, a reliable crop during famines. The specific culprit is the neurotoxin $\beta$-N-oxalyl-L-$\alpha$,$\beta$-diaminopropionic acid (BOAA), which acts primarily by inhibiting the mitochondrial enzyme complex I. This inhibition disrupts cellular respiration and leads to a cascade of events causing neuronal damage.
