Study on the in vitro inoxidizability of enzymatic hydrolysates from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus)

Sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus were hydrolyzed by five different enzymes, including papain, neutral protease, alcalase, tryptase, and bromelain. The antioxdative activities of the five hydrolysates were investigated by detecting the DPPH· and superoxide radicals scavenging abilities, ferrous ion chelating abilities, and reducing power activities. The results showed that, the antioxdative activities of the five hydrolysates firstly increased, and then decreased with the hydrolysis time. The DPPH· and superoxide radicals scavenging abilities of hydrolysates from bromelain and alcalase were higher than that of other enzymes. The ferrous ion chelating abilities of tryptase hydrolysates, and the reducing power activities of papain hydrolysates were higher than that of the others. Thus, bromelain and alcalase were the better tool enzymes for developing antioxdative peptides from sea cucumber based on the free radicals scavenging abilities.