In vitro therapeutic properties of different fractions of Phaseolus vulgaris seeds as affected by the distribution of phytochemicals.

This study was framed to evaluate the distribution of phytochemicals in the different fractions
(hulls and cotyledons) in comparison with whole seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris and its effect on in
vitro therapeutic properties. The study revealed that higher concentration of phenolics (48.576 mg
GAE/g), saponins (1.152 mg Soya saponin/g), tannins (36.963 mg catechin eq/g), and raffinose
family oligosaccharides (RFOs) (8.34 g/100 g) were present in the hulls fraction, while cotyledons
had higher content of B-vitamins and total carbohydrates. The hulls showed almost 90% contribution
to the antioxidative, antiinflammatory, and antidiabetic property of the legume seeds, which is
reflective of its rich polyphenolic and raffinose content. Thus, hulls from P. vulgaris may be a good
source of phytonutrients for use as a vehicle for food enrichment.