Bhubaneswar, Nov 4 (IANS): In a discovery with serious public health implications, researchers have detected the presence of BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine) — a potent neurotoxin — in several species of ancient Cycad plants growing in the forests of Odisha, the AIIMS Bhubaneswar announced on Monday.
The finding has sparked concern as certain local communities in Odisha continue to consume cycad-based traditional foods, including pitha (a rice-based cake), as part of their customary diet and rituals. Scientists are now probing whether this long-standing dietary practice may be linked to the prevalence of neurological disorders in these regions.
To address this pressing question, AIIMS Bhubaneswar recently hosted an international workshop titled “Cycad-Related Neurological Disorders: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Its Remediation.” The event was jointly organised with the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, and brought together a panel of leading national and international experts in medicine, neuroscience, and toxicology.
According to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the workshop underlined the health risks posed by cycads, a group of ancient plants that existed over 300 million years ago, dating back to the age of dinosaurs. Though often used today as ornamental plants, cycads contain highly toxic compounds — including Cycacin, BMAA, and MAM (methylazoxymethanol) — which have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsonism, motor neuron disease, and dementia in populations from Guam (USA) and Kii Peninsula (Japan), where cycad-based foods were traditionally consumed.
As part of the initiative, experts conducted field visits to several Odisha villages — including Dhuanali in Khordha district and Gangamunda and Suaginali in the Kamakhyanagar area of Dhenkanal district. These areas are home to tribal communities that still rely on the Cycas plant, locally known as Veru (Odia name: Aruguna), as a traditional food source.
During these visits, the research team interacted with villagers, local healthcare providers, and patients to assess potential neurological symptoms or other health effects linked to cycad seed consumption.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar said the findings will form the basis for a comprehensive toxicology and public health study aimed at identifying the long-term neurological risks associated with cycad ingestion and guiding community-level awareness and policy interventions.
