[Presence of lectins, tannins and protease inhibitors in venezuelan marine algae].

The presence of lectins, tannins and protease inhibitors was studied in 27 algae species collected at four Venezuelan coral rift sites. Among the species studied, only six had hemagglutinating activity, apparently due to their lectin content. Higher hemagglutinating titers were obtained when the extracts were tested on pronase-treated erythrocytes. Hemagglutination was inhibited by simple sugars and by bovine submaxillary gland mucine. GaINAc was the only inhibitor of the hemagglutination caused by Grateulopia filicina extracts. None of the compounds tested inhibited the hemagglutination caused by Halimeda opuntia. The polyvinylpolypirrolidone treatment abolished the hemagglutinating activity of both brown and red algae. However, in Grateulopia filicina and Hypnea cervicornis (Rhodophyta) hemagglutinating activity persisted after the polyvinylpolypirrolidone treatment, presumably due to the presence of true lectins in those algae. Tannin content (presumably phlorotannins) was higher in the Phaeophyta as compared to the Rhodophyta. The brown alga Padina gymnospora had the higher content of these polyphenols. Trypsin inhibitors were detected, in minute ammounts, only in Padina gymnospora (Phaeophyta) and Acantophora spicifera (Rhodophyta). No subtilisin inhibition was observed whatsoever.