Comparative studies of the inhibitory action of some legume seeds, potato tubers, and bran against human and bovine proteinases.

Inhibition of human trypsin and chymotrypsin by proteinase inhibitors of plant origin was studied using the juice from the small intestine, without separation of the two enzymes, and synthetic amide substrates (BAPA, GLUPHEPA). The results were compared with the inhibition of the corresponding bovine enzymes. Extracts and preparations from legume seeds (13 Papilionoideae, 2 Caesalpinioideae, 3 Mimosoideae), potato tubes and bran were used as inhibitors; 9 of the seed extracts studied inhibited human chymotrypsin more and human trypsin less than the bovine enzymes. In similar tests 5 seed extracts inhibited the two human enzymes more than the bovine enzymes, whilst only one extract inhibited the two human enzymes less than the two bovine enzymes, and another inhibited human trypsin more and human chymotrypsin less than the bovine enzymes. In particular, human chymotrypsin was between two and twelve times as strongly inhibited as the bovine enzyme by some two thirds of the species studied, sometimes exhibiting chymotrypsin-inhibitory activities usually observed only with trypsin. Inhibitor preparations from the above legumes and two non-leguminous plant foods exhibited similar results.