Hydroxy-octadecenoic acids instead of phorbol esters are responsible for the Jatropha curcas kernel cake's toxicity.

ABSTRACT: The toxic kernel cake of Jatropha curcas (KCakeJ) is an emerging health and environmental concern. Although phorbol esters are widely recognized as the major toxin of KCakeJ, convincing evidence is absent. Here, we show that rather than phorbol esters an isomeric mixture of 11-hydroxy-9E-octadecenoic acid, 12-hydroxy-10E-octadecenoic acid and 12-hydroxy-10Z-octadecenoic acid (hydroxy-octadecenoic acids, molecular formula C₁₈H₃₄O₃) is the major toxic component. The toxicities of hydroxy-octadecenoic acids on experimental animals, e.g. acute lethality, causing inflammation, pulmonary hemorrhage and thrombi, allergies, diarrhea and abortion, are consistent with those on human/animals caused by Jatropha seed and/or KCakeJ. The hydroxyl group and the double bond

SUBMITTER: Wang XH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7210109 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature