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Purification, Identification and Characterization of a Growth Inhibitor in Faba Beans (Vicia faba L. var. minor)

Department of Animal Science, and Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2

The objectives of this study were to isolate, purify, identify and characterize the predominant growth inhibiting factor in faba beans (Vicia faba). A water extract from faba bean hulls was shown to contain a potent factor which, when incorporated into a chick diet, depressed the rate of growth, efficiency of feed utilization and liver size, but did not affect pancreas size. Autoclaving at 121° for 30 minutes and polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) additions to the diet overcame the negative effects on growth rate and feed:gain ratios. Sephadex LH-20 chromatography of the water-acetone soluble growth inhibiting substances yielded two fractions, A and B. Fraction A contained low molecular weight polyphenolic compounds, while fraction B contained only condensed tannins. The major portion of the growth inhibiting substance in faba bean hulls was associated with this latter fraction. Chicks fed a diet containing 3.9% of the purified condensed tannin (fraction B) as compared to those fed a control diet had markedly reduced feed intake (69%), negative weight gains and feed:gain ratios, and reduced dry matter (22%), amino acid (25%) and crude fiber (175%) retentions (P < 0.01). Fat retention, in contrast, was increased 27% (P < 0.01). The purified condensed tannins were shown to be a polymeric complex having chemical characteristics similar to tannins present in sorghum grains.

KEY WORDS: • faba beans • growth depressing factor • condensed tannins • chicks

Manuscript received 8 December 1976.