CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF TRYPSIN INHIBITORS AND HEMAGGLUTININS IN SOME LEGUME SEEDS

Abstract

Cultivars of various legumes including fababean (Vicia faba L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), lupin (Lupinus sp. L.), Vigna sinensis Endl. ex Haask vs. Vigna catjang Walp and soybean (Glycine max Meer) were tested for trypsin-inhibiting activity levels (TIA) and hemagglutinating (on trypsinised rabbit red blood cells) activity levels in hulls and cotyledons. TIA in these seeds as a percent of that in defatted soybean are: 35 for V. sinensis, 13 for pea, 7 for fababean, and 0 for lupin. Winter cultivars of pea are about twice as active as summer cultivars; smooth peas contain more TIA than wrinkled ones, and pea hulls about 13 times less than cotyledons. Interfering substances in hulls do not allow a precise study of TIA distribution in fababean. Hemagglutinating activity against rabbit erythrocytes is about 10% of that of soybean in pea, 2% in fababean and practically nil in V. sinensis and lupin seeds. All the hemagglutinating activity is in the cotyledons.