<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Plant lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or phytohaemagglutinins present in most plants, especially seeds and tubers, which include cereals, potatoes and beans. Lectins have great significance in the diet because of their involvement in gastrointestinal difficulties and erythrocyte agglutination. Blood agglutination activity against A, B, AB and O groups was shown after exposing blood to extracts obtained from 55% of tested plants, while in 45% of plants, agglutination was absent. The results of our study have shown that in humans, 40% of plant extracts exhibited activity against A, 40% of plant extracts exhibited activity against B, and 50% of plant extracts exhibited activity against AB and O groups in humans. The concentration of plant lectins depends on the part of the plant. Lectins from the seeds of certain plants cause the greatest percentage of erythrocyte agglutination, while the lowest agglutination was caused by plant bulbs and leaves. However, lectins derived from all plant species of the family Fabaceae agglutinated erythrocytes of all blood types to some extent.</p></abstract>

Plant lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or phytohaemagglutinins present in most plants, especially seeds and tubers, which include cereals, potatoes and beans. Lectins have great significance in the diet because of their involvement in gastrointestinal difficulties and erythrocyte agglutination. Blood agglutination activity against A, B, AB and O groups was shown after exposing blood to extracts obtained from 55% of tested plants, while in 45% of plants, agglutination was absent. The results of our study have shown that in humans, 40% of plant extracts exhibited activity against A, 40% of plant extracts exhibited activity against B, and 50% of plant extracts exhibited activity against AB and O groups in humans. The concentration of plant lectins depends on the part of the plant. Lectins from the seeds of certain plants cause the greatest percentage of erythrocyte agglutination, while the lowest agglutination was caused by plant bulbs and leaves. However, lectins derived from all plant species of the family Fabaceae agglutinated erythrocytes of all blood types to some extent.

Effects of Plant Lectins on Human Erythrocyte Agglutination

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Sarajevo

Department of Biology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Sarajevo

Experimental and Applied Biomedical Research (EABR)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Effects of Plant Lectins on Human Erythrocyte Agglutination"}

Plant lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or phytohaemagglutinins present in most plants, especially seeds and tubers, which include cereals, potatoes...

Effects of Plant Lectins on Human Erythrocyte Agglutination

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 207 - 214

Received: Nov 07, 2015

Accepted: Jan 27, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2016-0031

Keywords
lectins, agglutination, blood groups

© 2016 Nadja Zubcevic et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effects of Plant Lectins on Human Erythrocyte Agglutination

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 207 - 214

Received: Nov 07, 2015

Accepted: Jan 27, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2016-0031

Keywordslectins, agglutination, blood groups

© 2016 Nadja Zubcevic et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
lectins, agglutination, blood groups