What are phytohaemagglutinins?

Introduction

Haemagglutinins are proteins capable of agglutinating red blood cells. Such substances present in plants are called phytohaemagglutinins. They are present in all legumes. About 25% of the growth inhibition produced in rats (experiment level) by Soya beans is due to haemagglutinins. Significant level of haemagglutinins occur also in black beans and kidney beans (varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris).purified hemagglutininsfrom these two pulses, when fed to rats at a level0.5 to 1% result in 100% mortality within two weeks.

Mechanism of toxicity

Phytohaemagglutinins bind with the red cell membrane and makethem more vulnerable to the hemagglutination

Common food items containing phytohaemagglutinins

Soya bean

Black beans and

Kidney beans

Removal of phytohaemagglutinins from those food items

The toxic factor can be destroyed completely by soaking the grain overnight and later autoclaving.

The importance of such factors in human nutrition should not be discounted, as pulses form an important item in most diets.