What are phytohemagglutinins?

Introduction

Hemagglutinins are proteins capable of agglutinating red blood cells. Such substances present in plants are called phytohemagglutinins(one of the toxins in food) They are present in all legumes. About 25% of the growth inhibition produced in rats (experiment level) by Soya beans is due to hemagglutinins. Significant level of hemagglutinins 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

Phytohemagglutinins bind with the red cell membrane and make them more vulnerable to the hemagglutination

Common food items containing phytohemagglutinins

Soya bean

Black beans and

Kidney beans

Removal of phytohemagglutinins 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.