Neurotoxin found in Odisha's ancient Cycad plants: AIIMS Bhubaneswar

In a significant scientific finding with public health implications, researchers have detected the presence of BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), a potential neurotoxin, in several species of ancient Cycad plants growing in Odisha’s forests. The AIIMS Bhubaneswar has initiated ground-breaking research on cycad plant toxicity and its link to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsonism, motor neuron disease, and dementia.“To address this burning query, a distinguished group of national and international scientists and medical experts recently convened at an international workshop titled ‘Cycad-Related Neurological Disorders: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Its Remediation’. The event was jointly organised by the Department of Neurology, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong,” the statement added.

Field visits were conducted in #Khordha and #Dhenkanal districts where local communities traditionally consume cycad-based foods.
Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director, @AIIMSBhubaneswr, applauded the initiative as a milestone in neurotoxicology research in India.

— AIIMS Bhubaneswar (@AIIMSBhubaneswr) November 3, 2025

An ancient plant species that coexisted with dinosaurs more than 300 million years ago. Often used today as ornamental flora, cycad species contain potent toxins including Cycacin, BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), and MAM (methylazoxymethanol). These compounds have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinsonism, motor neuron disease, and dementia in regions like the Guam Peninsula (USA) and the Kii Peninsula (Japan), where cycads have traditionally been part of local diets. South Africa is a hotspot of cycad diversity, supporting 38 species - 29 of which are found nowhere else in the world.Cycads is the world’s oldest seed plants.