Intraperitoneal toxicity of pea and lentil lectins in albino rats--effect on growth and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes.

Lectins from peas and lentils when injected to rats apparently appeared to be non toxic but they caused growth depression. The organ weights were not affected except spleen enlargement. The lectins also caused increased osmotic fragility of erythrocytes without affecting other hematological parameters such as haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and RBC count.