Canavanine and related compounds in Leguminosae

Abstract

Methods are described for the identification of canavanine in biological extracts containing compounds which mask or inhibit the guanidoxy color reaction given by canavanine with trisodium pentacyanoammonio-ferrate. It is shown that canavanine occurs in the seeds of 16 leguminous plants; quantitative values for 8 are given. The acid was isolated from 2 of them. In addition to canavanine other compounds which, like the guanidoxines, react with trisodium pentacyanoammonioferrate at pH 7 were detected in the seeds of leguminous plants.