Effect of the raw legume Vicia ervilia on muscle and liver protein metabolism in growing rats.

Body weight gain (BWG), food intake, food efficiency rate (FER: food intake, g/protein intake, g), gastrocnemius muscle and liver weights, protein, RNA and DNA contents of gastrocnemius muscle and liver have been measured in growing rats (80-90 g initial body weight) fed ad libitum over a period of 11 days on 12.00% protein diets containing either heated and defatted Glycinae sojae (HSB) as control or the raw legume Vicia ervilia as the main sources of protein. It has been found that, as compared to HSB-fed rats, those fed the legume Vicia ervilia diet exhibited a significant reduction in growth, PER, FER, as well as, in RNA-activity (protein, g/day/RNA, g) and RNA/DNA ratio in both muscle and liver. Protein synthesis capacity (PSC:RNA, microgram/protein, mg), was found significantly increased in liver but not in muscle. The possible nature of these findings is discussed.