Potential antioxidant bioactive peptides from camel milk proteins

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Nutraceuticals

Background:

• Camel milk is recognized for its nutritional richness and bioactive components, closely resembling human breast milk.
• Traditionally, camel milk is associated with medicinal properties and potential health benefits for various illnesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and identify antioxidant peptides derived from camel milk protein fractions.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these peptides in combating oxidative stress.

Main Methods:

• Camel milk proteins (CMP) were fractionated into camel casein protein (CCP) and camel whey protein (CWP).
• Proteins were hydrolyzed using pepsin, and resulting peptides were fractionated via RP-HPLC.
• Antioxidant activity was assessed using xanthine oxidase (XOD) and DPPH scavenging assays; active peptides were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS.

Main Results:

• Antioxidant peptides, ranging from 913 to 2,951 Da, were identified, primarily from alpha-casein, lactophorin, and lactoferrin.
• Camel casein and whey peptides significantly enhanced yeast cell tolerance against peroxide-induced oxidative stress, modeling mitochondrial disease.
• Both casein and whey protein fractions demonstrated significant radical-scavenging activities.

Conclusions:

• Camel milk casein and whey proteins contain bioactive peptides with potent antioxidant and radical-scavenging capabilities.
• These findings highlight camel milk peptides as promising candidates for nutraceuticals and therapeutic agents in managing oxidative stress-related conditions.