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Estrogenic activities of native and cultivated legume species

University of British Columbia

Examination of Vicia amen'cana and Astragalus miser var. serotinus for estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity demonstrated low potency uterotrophic compounds interfering with synthetic hormones in mammalian reproductive tracts. The potency of the extracts was affected by stage of growth. A toxic fraction was present in Astragalus miser var. serotinus at full bloom stage. Hormonal activity was not correlated with proximate analysis results for both species. Examination of the extract components revealed the overall structures of phenolic and aromatic compounds, including isoflavones, in a dynamic state throughout the growing season. The effects of topical fertilizer application on alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum), ladino clover (Trifolium repens var. ladino) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) indicated that dry matter yields were slightly but insignificantly affected by fertilizer application. A method for the quantitative analysis of the free estrogenic isoflavones biochanin A and genistein was developed. Estimation of these two isoflavones, in addition to coumestrol and formononetin, illustrated that N, P and K applications would significantly affect the level of these plant sterols in the legume species. Alsike clover increased in total isoflavone content with phosphate addition; ladino clover increased total isoflavones to phosphate deficiency and complete fertilizers; alfalfa did not respond to fertilizer treatment. Total estrogenic compounds on a dry matter basis were less affected in the three species than were individual isoflavone components.

Text

2010-01-20

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/18707

Animal Science

University of British Columbia

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