In feeding experiments with dietscontaining raw or autoclaved kidney-beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) we found that they are toxic for rats, producing rapid loss of weight and even death after a short time. As KLOSE and coworkers reported recently on a fraction from Lima beans that retarded the growth of rats, we want to present some of our findings.
Each experimental group consisted of 2 male and 2 female Sprague Dawley rats, individually housed in screen-bottomed cages. Food and water were given ad libitum. The diets were made to contain 12% protein (about 40 % of beans) with the given amount of dried and ground-beans; moreover, the following ingredients were added:- sa1ts 44 %, NaCl 1 %, l-methionine 0.3 %, cotton seed oi1 containing 0.5 % oi oleum percomorphum 4 %, sucroses 20 %, 10 erystallized B-vitamins as indicated earlier1 and corn starch to make up to 100 %. In addition, 3 drops oi 1iver extract were given 3 times week1y by dropper. Additions to the diet were made at the expense oi corn starch. In the experiments reported in Tab1e II, a soy mea1-corn ration 1 to which 20 % of raw kidney-beans had bean added at the expense of the who1e ration, was used.
