N-acylethanolamines in seeds of selected legumes.

Seven molecular species of N-acylethanolamines were quantified in seeds from selected members of the legume family. Total concentrations for the 14 taxa studied ranged over approximately three orders of magnitude with no consistent overall relationship to phylogeny. Elevated concentrations observed in some species make them good candidates for natural sources of these compounds which are of increasing therapeutic interest in the modulation of the mammalian endocannabinoid system.