Biochemical, nutritional and toxicological aspects of alpha-amylase inhibitors from plant foods.

This paper is a critical review of the available data on plant protein inhibitors active either on animal or endogenous plant alpha-amylases. The First Section is a review of available data on molecular properties of the purified inhibitors from cereals, legumes, colocasia and yam. The Second Section deals with properties of amylase-inhibitor complexes and parameters controlling the interaction between amylases and inhibitors. The Third Section discusses possible roles of these inhibitors in the plant, whereas Section Four focuses on nutritional and toxicological significance of amylase inhibitors for human beings and other mammals. Lastly Section Five examines some applications in medicine of alpha-amylase inhibitors from plants.