Abstract
Sorghum is a gluten-free cereal representing a staple food in many countries of Africa, where germination is traditionally used for the preparation of several sorghum-based products. This study focused on the effect of germination on total phenolic content, in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity, and antihypertensive action of sorghum from Togo. Total phenolic content was estimated as Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity, while antioxidant activities were assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) in vitro tests and ex vivo by the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay on human erythrocytes. The antihypertensive effect of germinated and non-germinated sorghum peptides fraction was evaluated as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Despite our findings demonstrated no impact of germination on the total phenolic content, non-germinated sorghum showed significantly higher in vitro antioxidant activities than the germinated one; further, non-germinated sorghum displayed significantly higher ACE inhibition than germinated sorghum that, instead, at lower doses, exhibited better erythrocytes protection from peroxyl radicals. In conclusion, the germination process negatively impacted the in vitro antioxidant activity and the antihypertensive effect of sorghum while improved erythrocytes protection. This study evidenced better nutraceutical potential of non-germinated sorghum that, besides good antioxidant activity, represents an important source of ACE-inhibitory peptides. However, the germination process might have positively impacted the profile of bioactive compounds involved in the protection of human erythrocytes from oxidative damage.
Highlights
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world after maize, wheat, barley, and rice, with a production of over 59 million tons in 2018, of which Africa produced more than 50% [1]
This study aimed to investigate the effect of germination on bioactive compounds and the antioxidant and antihypertensive activity of sorghum from the local market of Gbonsimè in Lomé (Togo)
Regarding total phenolic content (TPC), estimated as Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity and expressed as mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight, we found similar levels in the non-germinated and germinated sorghum extracts, suggesting that germination did not influence the TPC in sorghum
Summary
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world after maize, wheat, barley, and rice, with a production of over 59 million tons in 2018, of which Africa produced more than 50% [1]. Sorghum has been for centuries an important food source for populations in developing countries; there has been little interest in sorghum as a component of the diet in developed areas, such as Europe, Australia, and the United States, where it has been principally used as animal feeding and biofuel production [3,4]. There has been increased interest in using sorghum grains as a component of the human diet in developed areas, because it is a gluten-free cereal and due to its high nutritional value and health-promoting potential [5].
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