Incisor Ash Versus Femur Ash in Sweet Pea Lathyrism (Odoratism)

Abstract

Rats which were fed diets containing 50% sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) for three weeks showed decreases in femur ash and increases in incisor ash when compared to rats fed control diets ad libitum or by the paired-feeding technique. It is concluded that a disturbance in calcium and phosphorus metabolism is not involved in odoratism (sweet pea lathyrism), but that the effects on the mineralization of the skeleton are secondary to a disturbance in the metabolism of connective tissue or of a connective tissue component.