Studies on antifertility action of Phaseolus vulgaris

The crude extract of Phaseolus vulgaris L. has been shown to have obvious effect on preventing implantation, terminating early pregnancy and mid-pregnancy in mice. The least effective dose was found to be 16.7 mg/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection.The crude extract of Phaseolusvulgaris L. was further purified on hydroxyapatite column and four fractions were obtained. One of these fractions, peak Ⅲ, eluted by 0.1 M pH 6.8 phosphate buffer, showed a main band and a trace band on cellulose acetate electrophoresis. It showed a main band and two other trace bands by polyacrylamide electrophoresis. The least effective dose of the main component on terminanting early pregnancy in mice was 1.67-3.33 mg/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection. Its potency is 10-20 times higher than the crude extract of Phaseoius vulgaris. Its chemical nature is a protein.