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Enzymatic hydrolysates were prepared from royal jelly using three enzymes (pepsin, trypsin, and papain), and their antioxidative properties were evaluated. The yield of these hydrolysates was very high, about 20-26% on a raw weight basis. In comparison with the antioxidative activities of water extract and alkaline extract of royal jelly, the antioxidative activities and scavenging activities against active oxygen species such as superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical of each hydrolysate were high in the sample with a low protein concentration. These results suggest that once royal jelly is hydrolyzed using enzyme, the hydrolysate possesses much higher antioxidative activity and scavenging activity against active oxygen species. Royal jelly will act as a medicinal food in the human body.

The enzymatic hydrolysates from pollen Cistus ladaniferus were digested and prepared using three kinds of enzymes (pepsin, trypsin, and papain) and the antioxidative properties were investigated. The yields, total phenolic contents, and protein contents of these hydrolysates were as follows: yields (about 21-45%), total phenolics (10.39-14.33 microg/mg sample powder), and proteins (129.62-137.35 microg/mg sample powder), respectively. The hydrolysates possessed strongly antioxidative and scavenging abilities against reactive oxygen species. The present studies revealed that hydrolysates from honeybee-collected pollen are of benefit not only to the materials of health food diets, but also to patients with various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

Enzymatic hydrolysates were prepared from bee bread using three proteases. The antioxidant properties of these hydrolysates were measured using four different methods. These had remarkable antioxidant activity similar or superior to that of 1 mM alpha-tocopherol. They also had high scavenging activities against active oxygen species as the superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radicals. Moreover, they showed angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activities and the activities were similar to those from various fermented foods such as fish sauce, sake, vinegar, cheese, miso, and natto. The present studies reveal that enzymatic hydrolysates from bee bread are of benefit not only for the materials of health food diets, but also for in patients undergoing various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension.

Three extracts, namely hot-water fraction (HWF), water-soluble fraction (WSF), and ethanol-soluble fraction (ESF), were prepared from fresh bee bread imported from Lithuania. The protein and total phenolic contents of these samples were very high. Among them, WSF at 100% concentration showed the highest antioxidative ability and scavenging ability. On the other hand, ESF at 10% concentration possessed the highest ability against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals. Bee bread will apply more and more as health food and medicine due to its functional properties such as antioxidative ability and scavenging activities of reactive oxygen species.