Skeletal lesions produced by semicarbazide and experimental analysis of the action of lathyrogenic compounds.

Laboratory animals fed on a diet containingeither beta aminopropionitrile (BAPN) (NH2. CH2. CH2. CN), the toxic factor in sweet peas (Lathyrus Odoratus), or amino acetonitrile (NH2. CH2. CN), develop various skeletal lesions such as scoliosis, displacement of epiphyses, osteochondritis and dislocation ofjoints. The term osteolathyrism has been applied to these lesions (Selye 1957). In a previous report on the skeletal lesions produced by BAPN, it was suggested that they might be due to an alteration in the ground substance of the epiphysial plate and interference with endochondral ossification (Ramamurti and Taylor l958a). Similar lesions produced by mercaptoethylamine (NH2. CH2. CH2. SH) have also been the subject of a previous study (Ramamurti and Taylor 1958b). According to Dasler (1958), semicarbazide (NH2. NH. CO. NH2) also had lathyrogenic properties, but he did not describe the pathology of the lesions. This report is a histological study ofsome aspects ofthe lesions produced by semicarbazide. Repetition of findings already published in connection with other lathyrogenic compounds will be avoided. The description will be confined to the epiphysial plate and an attempt will be made to demonstrate the mechanism of the spinal deformity. The action of the lathyrogenic compounds will be analysed in the light of a number of experiments performed in this laboratory.