Summary:
Antioxidant activities of protein hydrolyzate prepared from Nile tilapia protein isolate using Alcalase (HA), Alcalase followed by papain (HAPa) and their Sephadex G-25 fractions (FHA and FHAPa) were investigated in both chemical and cellular based models. Amongst all samples, FHAPa showed the highest chemical antioxidant activities, however it had no metal chelation activity. Cellular antioxidant ability of HA, HAPa and their fractions against H2O2 and AAPH induced oxidative damage of HepG2 cell and DNA were tested. When cells were pretreated with all hydrolysates or fractions at different concentrations (0.5–2 mg / mL) in the absence and presence of 50 μM Trolox, cell viability was in the range of 91.10–111.40 %. However, no difference in cell viability was observed among samples having various concentrations (P> 0.05). Cell reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation as mediated by H2O2 and AAPH decreased with treatment of hydrolysates or their fractions, especially in combination with 50 μM Trolox. FHAPa effectively inhibited H2O2 and peroxyl radical induced DNA scission in a dose dependent manner. Therefore, Nile tilapia protein hydrolysates could serve as a functional food ingredient.