Antinutritional factors
Bengal indigo leaves contain indospicine, an antinutritional compound which may cause hepato-toxicity in grazing cattle and sheep, at a concentration ranging from 26 to 289 mg/kg DM (Fletcher et al., 2015; Hassen et al., 2008). The toxicity level of indospicine is unclear, but its concentration may rise to 2000 mg/kg DM in some Indigofera sp. accessions (Fletcher et al., 2015).
Bengal indigo leaves contain low condensed tannins (3 g/kg DM) and medium total phenols (30 g/kg DM) compared to others tree foliages (Kaitho et al., 1998).