Characteristics of anti-oxidative activity of carnosine and anserine mixture isolated from chicken extract: Comparison with other botanical antioxidants

Abstract

To determine the characteristics of antioxidative activity of dipeptides, anserine (Ans), carnosine (Car) and their mixture (AC mix) isolated from a chicken extract, we evaluated the protective effect of these dipeptides on the protein degradation by reactive oxygen species, ClO •, OH • and ONOO •, and compared their activities with other antioxidants including vitamin C (V.C), vitamin E (V.E), reduced glutathione (GSH), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and quercetin (Qur). When AC mix was assayed by a diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method commonly used to evaluate the activity in foods, the antioxidative activity of AC mix was only 1/6 700 of EGCG, 1/2 500 of Qur and 1/1 000 of both V.C and V.E. In the evaluation of protective effect on the protein degradation by reactive oxygen species, Ans, Car and AC mix revealed comparatively strong antioxidative activities against ClO • and ONOO • as well as GSH and V.C. V.E, Qur and 50 μM of EGCG showed a weak antioxidative activity against ClO •, but a remarkably strong antioxidative activity against OH •. On the other hand, Ans, Car and AC mix had a weak protective effect on OH • degradation. V.C was also a weak antioxidant against OH • as well as AC mix and GSH, but showed a strong antioxidative activity against ONOO •. From these findings, it is strongly suggested that each antioxidant has a specificity against reactive oxygen species in their antioxidative activity and an appropriate combination of antioxidant intake might be very important to prevent injury of body elements by reactive oxygen species generated during an energy metabolism in human body.