Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Potential of Protein Fractions from Flour and Milk Substitutes from Canary Seeds (Phalaris canariensis L.)

Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2017 Mar;72(1):20-25. doi: 10.1007/s11130-016-0584-z.

Abstract

Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) is used to feed birds but it has been recently considered a promising cereal with nutraceutical potential for humans. The aim of this work was to analyze the protein fractions from canary seed flour and from milk substitutes (prepared by soaking the seeds in water 12 and 24 h), and to evaluate antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of peptides obtained after in vitro digestion. Prolamins were the major protein fraction, followed by glutelins. After digestion, albumins and prolamins fractions from milks presented higher levels of peptides than flour, globulins showed more peptides in flour and glutelins were found in similar concentrations in all samples; 24 h milk prolamins had the highest concentration of peptides. Purification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sequencing of peptides, in vitro antioxidant ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis, 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assays, and antihypertensive capacity (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) assay), indicated that peptides from canary seed prolamins were the most efficient compounds with antioxidant and antihypertensive activity. Canary seeds may be considered an accessible and cheap source to prepare milk substitutes with high contents of bioactive peptides with remarkable functional properties to promote better human health and healthy ageing.

Keywords: Antihypertensive; Antioxidants; Bioactive peptides; Canary seed proteins; Nutraceuticals.

MeSH terms

  • Albumins / analysis
  • Antihypertensive Agents / analysis*
  • Antioxidants / analysis*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Dietary Supplements / analysis*
  • Flour / analysis*
  • Globulins / analysis
  • Glutens / analysis
  • Humans
  • Milk Substitutes / chemistry*
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Phalaris / chemistry*
  • Plant Proteins / analysis
  • Seeds / chemistry

Substances

  • Albumins
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Globulins
  • Peptides
  • Plant Proteins
  • Glutens