A lectin has been purified from the Algerian chestnut seeds (Castanea crenata), one of the natural biosourced plants in Algeria. This lectin extracted from the inner shell of the seeds exhibited a high hemagglutinating activity toward rabbit and human erythrocytes, and remained stable under a wide range of pH levels 2-12 and temperatures up to 120 °C. The agglutinating activity was inhibited by glucose, N-acétyl-glusamine, Saccharine sodique but more by mannose also by BSA, fetuin, Ovalbumin, mucin. The extracted lectin from Castanea crenata found to be non-metal binding lectin when tested against several metals. In the last part of this study, The immunomodulatory potential effect of Castanea crenata’ s inner shell lectin on the phagocytic activity was measured by the carbon clearance rate test, at different doses (30, 50, and100mg/kg), where the administration of the extracted lectin intravenously in mice increases significantly the phagocytic index K comparing to control, especially with high doses, which enhances the clearance rate of carbon in blood indicating the stimulation of the reticulo-endothelial system. Thus, the present study reveals that Castanea crenata’s inner shell lectin holds promise as immunomodulatory agent, which acts by stimulating dose dependent phagocytic function.
