Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Potential of Protein Hydrolysates and Peptide Fractions from Leucaena esculenta

The increase and prevalence of chronic degenerative pathologies (chronic cellular oxidation) associated with changes in dietary habits has resulted in a demand for pharmacological alternatives that can be incorporated into the food to reduce the incidence of these diseases; where the use of plant peptides (especially those derived from legumes) offer promising results. Enzymatic hydrolysis of legume native protein fraction constitutes a useful technological tool to release bioactive peptides encrypted in long polypeptide structures. The legume native protein fraction was isolated by solid/liquid extraction by a isoelectric point methodology. The protein hydrolysates were digested with Alcalase, Flavourzyme and Neutrase proteases and subsequently fractionated by ultrafiltration cartridges. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the DPPH* and ABTS^+* methodologies and the antidiabetic was evaluated by the inhibition of the α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Flavourzyme non fractionated hydrolysates exhibited the higher antioxidant activity (49.74% DPPH* and 96.47% ABTS^*+). Neutrase and Flavourzyme fractionated hydrolysates exhibited the higher antioxidant activity (74.95% DPPH* and 74.95% ABTS^*+ respectively). Alcalase hydrolysates exhibited higher antidiabetic activity (47.07% for amylase and 10.95% for glucosidase). The objective of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of protein hydrolysates fractions isolated from Leucaena esculenta ripe seeds.