Effect of shodhana on the toxicity of abrus precatorius.

Seeds of Gunja (Abrus precatorius Linn) are reported to be poisonous due to the presence of a toxic protein 'abrin and an alkaloid hypaphorine. Te seeds after subjecting to the process of shodhana, find use in a number of Ayurvedic preparations. HPLC studies revealed that the process of shodhana resulted in depletion of more toxic alkaloid hypaphorine and protein abrin.