One of the components of the multimixture to the feed supplementation of low-income populations is cassava leaf flour (FFM), with high content of proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, cassava leaves also present substance regarded as antinutritive and/or toxic, such as cyanide, polyphenols, nitrate, oxalic acid, hemagglutinin, saponins and trypsin inhibitors. The aim of this work was to extract proteins from FFM, purifying them in chromatographic column and determine their hemagglutinating activity and toxicity. A number of strategies of extraction and precipitation of proteins were tested; the highest protein content and hemagglutinating activity were obtained in the extraction with distilled water at the 1:20 ratio (p/v) followed by the precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 80% of saturation. The precipitated proteins were purified in Q-Sepharose Fast Flow column. Out of the four purification fractions (I, II, III e IV), the I and II activities presented higher specific activity. The same fractions were injected intraperitoneal via in mice of 20g weight with doses of 2mg (fraction I), 3mg (fraction II), 54mg (fraction III) and 52mg (fraction IV). No deaths or any adverse effects was observed after 120h.
Cassava leaf; lectin; purification; toxicity
