Cordeauxiaquinone
The cordeauxiaquinone contained in yeheb foliage stains the meat, bones and teeth of animals with a pinkish-orange colour. This is considered a sign of good quality in Somalia and Saudia Arabia and some herders claim the meat of animal having eaten yeheb to be more tasty (Brink, 2006; Orwa et al., 2009). However, the colouring is a problem when exporting meat abroad (Söderberg, 2010).
Tannins
Leathery leaves contain 2.5-2.7% tannins (Brink, 2006).
Trypsin inhibitors and other antinutritional factors
The seeds contain trypsin inhibitors (Yusuf et al., 2013; Brink, 2006; Miège et al., 1978). When they are eaten raw by humans, their high level of trypsin inhibitor limits protein absorption in the intestine and may thus cause nausea or stomach distress (Yusuf et al., 2013). Yeheb seeds are deprived of phytohaemagglutinins, which is an advantage over legume seeds (Miège et al., 1978).