Bioactive Natural Constituents from Food Sources—Potential Use in Hypertension Prevention and Treatment

Prevention and management of hypertension are the major public health challenges worldwide. Uncontrolled high blood pressure may lead to a shortened life expectancy and a higher morbidity due to a high risk of cardiovascular complications such as coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and stroke, congestive heart failure, heart rhythm irregularities, and kidney failure etc. In recent years, it has been recognized that many dietary constituents may contribute to human cardiovascular health. There has been an increased focus on identifying these natural components of foods, describing their physiological activities and mechanisms of actions. Grain, vegetables, fruits, milk, cheese, meat, chicken, egg, fish, soybean, tea, wine, mushrooms, and lactic acid bacteria are various food sources with potential antihypertensive effects. Their main bioactive constituents include angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, flavanols, cathecins, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, polyphenols, tannins, resveratrol, polysaccharides, fiber, saponin, sterols, as well as K, Ca, and P. They may reduce blood pressure by different mechanisms, such as ACE inhibition effect, antioxidant, vasodilatory, opiate-like, Ca²⁺ channel blocking, and chymase inhibitory activities. These functional foods may provide new therapeutic applications for hypertension prevention and treatment, and contribute to a healthy cardiovascular population. The present review summarizes the antihypertensive food sources and their bioactive constituents, as well as physiological mechanisms of dietary products, especially focusing on ACE inhibitory activity.     

植物源生物活性肽的研究进展

生物活性肽是一类对生物机体有益且易被机体吸收的小分子聚合物, 是由2~20个氨基酸组成的蛋白质片段, 其功能性质由氨基酸组成和排列顺序决定。植物是生物活性肽的天然宝库, 植物源生物活性肽种类丰富、结构新颖, 是近年来的研究热点。生物活性肽被视为营养保健品和功能食品成分, 除了含有丰富的营养价值之外, 还具有抗氧化、降血压、抑菌、降血脂和维持血糖水平平衡等功能, 可利用其功能治疗、控制和预防慢性疾病, 对食品、医药和美容等领域的发展具有重要意义。本文综述了近5年从植物中获取生物活性肽的最新进展, 系统地总结了抗氧化肽、降压肽、抗菌肽、降血糖肽和降血脂肽的作用机制, 与目前最常见的健康问题进行对应说明。对生物活性肽的制备方法、分离纯化和鉴定技术进行总结比较, 并对生物活性肽的未来发展趋势以及在实际应用中遇到的问题进行展望, 为未来植物源生物活性肽的进一步研究开发与应用提供参考。     

A New Frontier in Soy Bioactive Peptides that May Prevent Age‐related Chronic Diseases

During gastrointestinal digestion or food processing of proteins, small peptides can be released and may act as regulatory compounds with hormone‐like activities. Numerous biologically active peptides (bioactive peptides) have been identified. Most bioactive peptides are derived from milk and dairy products, with the most common being angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory peptides. Soybean protein and soybean derived peptides also play an important role in soybean physiological activities, particularly those related to the prevention of chronic diseases. However, the bioactive potential of soybean derived bioactive peptides is yet to be fully appreciated. After a general introduction of approaches and advances in bioactive peptides from food sources, this review focuses on bioactive peptides derived from soybean proteins and their physiological properties. Technological approaches to generate bioactive peptides, their isolation, purification, characterization, and quantification, and further application in food and drug design are also presented. Safety concerns, such as potential toxicity, allergenicity, and sensory aspect of these peptides are likewise discussed.     

Physiological,chemical and technological aspects of milk-protein-derived peptides with antihypertensive and ACE-inhibitory activity

Among the bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins, those with blood pressure-lowering effects are receiving special attention due to the prevalence and importance of hypertension in the Western population. A few antihypertensive products based on milk-protein-derived peptides with clinically proven health benefits already exist. This paper reviews the current literature on milk-derived peptides with antihypertensive effects. The structure-activity characteristics of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides are discussed, as well as their bioavailability, potential physiological affects and the existence of mechanisms of action other than ACE inhibition. The paper also focuses on the technological aspects of the production of bioactive dairy products with antihypertensive peptides, either by fermentation with selected microorganisms or by in vitro-hydrolysis and enrichment. Finally, the stability of the peptides during production and processing is addressed, including the potential interactions with other food components and their influence on peptide bioactivity and bioavailability.     

Strategies for designing novel functional meat products

In recent years, much attention has been paid to physiological functions of foods due to increasing concerns for health. Although there has been limited information of physiological functions of meat until recently, several attractive meat-based bioactive compounds, such as carnosine, anserine, l-carnitine, conjugated linoleic acid, have been studied. Emphasizing these activities is one possible approach for improving the health image of meat and developing functional meat products. This article provides potential benefits of representative meat-based bioactive compounds on human health and an overview of meat-based functional products. Strategies for designing novel functional meat products utilizing bioactive peptides and/or probiotic bacteria, is also discussed. This article focuses particularly on the possibility of meat protein-derived bioactive peptides, such as antihypertensive peptides. There are still some hurdles in developing and marketing novel functional meat products since such products are unconventional and consumers in many countries recognize meat and meat products to be bad for health. Along with accumulation of scientific data, there is an urgent need to inform consumers of the exact functional value of meat and meat products including novel functional foods.     

Bioactive Peptides Derived from Seaweed Protein and Their Health Benefits: Antihypertensive,Antioxidant, and Antidiabetic Properties

Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are the biggest causes of death globally. Therefore, prevention of these diseases is a focus of pharmaceuticals and functional food manufacturers. This review summarizes recent research trends and scientific knowledge in seaweed protein‐derived peptides with particular emphasis on production, isolation and potential health impacts in prevention of hypertension, diabetes and oxidative stress. The current status and future prospects of bioactive peptides are also discussed. Bioactive peptides have strong potential for use in therapeutic drug and functional food formulation in health management strategy, especially cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Seaweeds can be used as sustainable protein sources in the production of these peptide‐based drugs and functional foods for preventing such diseases. Many studies have reported that peptides showing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition, antihypertensive, antioxidative and antidiabetics activities, have been successfully isolated from seaweed. However, further research is needed in large‐scale production of these peptides, efficient isolation methods, interactions with functional foods and other pharmaceuticals, and their ease to digestion in in vivo studies and safety to validate the health benefits of these peptides.     

Bioactive peptides from nuts: A review

Oxidative stress occurs because of an imbalance in the production of reactive oxygen species. Nuts are rich in bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds, tannins, and phytosterols. Although nuts are widely consumed because of their beneficial effects on nutrition and health, there is limited information about bioactive peptides from nuts. Pine nut and walnut-derived peptides are the most studied because these nuts contain a higher amount of protein. Different biological activities have been demonstrated for nut peptides; many of them exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antiseizure, or neuroprotective activity. Recent studies have focused on increasing the bioactivity of identified bioactive peptides by applying new technologies and chemosynthetic strategies. Research tendency points to the generation of peptides with specific sequences for application in specific diseases. Nut bioactive peptides can become key functional ingredients for food, pharmaceuticals, or cosmetics.     

The use of high hydrostatic pressure to promote the proteolysis and release of bioactive peptides from ovalbumin

Enzymatic hydrolysis of food proteins can release peptides able to exert different biological activities. Among the bioactive peptides known so far, those with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory properties are receiving special attention due to their potential beneficial effects in the treatment of hypertension. In a previous work, we identified active peptide sequences that derived from proteolysis of ovalbumin. We have now explored the possibility of using high hydrostatic pressure to promote the release of bioactive peptides. Treatment of ovalbumin under high pressures, up to 400 MPa, with chymotrypsin, trypsin and pepsin, enhanced its hydrolysis and changed the proteolytic pattern. However, under the conditions assayed, the in vitro ACE inhibitory activity of the hydrolysates did not improve as compared with those obtained at atmospheric pressure. Nevertheless, proteolysis under pressures of 200–400 MPa accelerated the release of the peptides YAEERYPIL, FRADHPFL and RADHPFL, with demonstrated antihypertensive effects in vivo.     

乳蛋白生物活性肽的药理学作用及应用前景

以乳蛋白生物活性肽中酪蛋白磷酸肽为重点，就乳蛋白生物活性肽的离子载体作用、细胞凋亡诱导作用、细胞免疫调节作用、DNA合成促进作用、抗茵作用、抗高血压作用和抗血栓作用进行了阐述，并对这些药理学作用的研究进展加以介绍，同时展望了乳蛋白生物活性肽在乳品和医药工业中的应用前景：     

Recent Research in Antihypertensive Activity of Food Protein-derived Hydrolyzates and Peptides

Year to year obesity prevalence, reduced physical activities, bad habits/or stressful lifestyle, and other environmental and physiological impacts lead to increase in diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension worldwide. Hypertension is considered as one of the most common serious chronic diseases; however, discovery of medications with high efficacy and without side effects for treatment of patients remains a challenge for scientists. Recent trends in functional foods have evidenced that food bioactive proteins play a major role in the concepts of illness and curing; therefore, nutritionists, biomedical scientists, and food scientists are working together to develop improved systems for the discovery of peptides with increased potency and therapeutic benefits. This review presents a recent research carried out to date for the purpose of isolation and identification of bioactive hydrolyzates and peptides with angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory activity and antihypertensive effect from animal, marine, microbial, and plant food proteins. Effects of food processing and hydrolyzation conditions as well as some other impacts on formation, activity, and stability of these hydrolyzates and peptides are also presented.     

Therapeutic potential of dairy bioactive peptides: A contemporary perspective

Dairy products are associated with numerous health benefits. These are a good source of nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein (bioactive peptides), lipids, minerals, and vitamins, which are essential for growth, development, and maintenance of the human body. Accordingly, dairy bioactive peptides are one of the targeted compounds present in different dairy products. Dairy bioactive compounds can be classified as antihypertensive, anti-oxidative, immmunomodulant, anti-mutagenic, antimicrobial, opoid, anti-thrombotic, anti-obesity, and mineral-binding agents, depending upon biological functions. These bioactive peptides can easily be produced by enzymatic hydrolysis, and during fermentation and gastrointestinal digestion. For this reason, fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, and sour milk, are gaining popularity worldwide, and are considered excellent source of dairy peptides. Furthermore, fermented and non-fermented dairy products are associated with lower risks of hypertension, coagulopathy, stroke, and cancer insurgences. The current review article is an attempt to disseminate general information about dairy peptides and their health claims to scientists, allied stakeholders, and, certainly, readers.     

蛋清蛋白源血管紧张素转化酶抑制肽研究进展

在分析蛋清蛋白的组成及酶解性质的基础上,综述了国外蛋清血管紧张素转化酶抑制肽来源、制备方法、降压活性、酶解动力学、结构修饰和包埋技术的研究现状,并对其在食品、医药领域研究和应用的方向进行了展望。以期为我国蛋清蛋白降压肽的研究与开发提供参考。     

Bioactive peptides from selected latin american food crops – A nutraceutical and molecular approach

This review reported an updated survey on the molecular functional properties of bioactive peptides derived from different Latin American ancient grains such as Maize, common Bean, Amaranth, Quinoa and Chia seeds. Seed storage proteins ecrypt in their sequences diverse peptides associated with a wide range of beneficial effects on the human health and the most studied are antihypertensive, anti-cholesterolemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Additionally, in the last decades molecular properties have been also used for their characterization to understand their activities and it makes them highly attractive to be incorporated into food formulations and to complement or replace some conventional cereal grains. Due to the nutraceutical effects, today, these seeds are one of the main gastronomic trends of consumption worldwide due to their nutritional benefits and are part of the shopping lists of many people, among them vegetarians, vegans, celiacs or lovers of raw food. These seeds are a legacy of pre-Columbian civilizations reason why in our time they are considered as “Superfoods of the Gods”, “The pre-hispanic superfoods of the future” and “The new golden seeds of the XXI century”.     

Meat protein based bioactive peptides and their potential functional activity: a review

Bioactive peptides are the general name for the short amino acid sequences, which could be generated from the hydrolysis of parent proteins including beef, pork, mutton, chicken, duck and various species of marine organisms. Drying, curing, ripening and fermentation are particular procedures for meat flavour and also important for the releasing of bioactive peptides from parent proteins. Once being released, the peptides would play bioactive roles beyond their nutritional values. The physiological activities of meat-derived peptides have been demonstrated to have antioxidative, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, opioid, antithrombotic and other bioactive effects. The regulation on immunological, gastrointestinal and neurological responses of those bioactive peptides supplies a vital base for the prevention of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and other metabolic disorders. In this review, we summarised the current studies on meat derived bioactive peptides along with their physiological functions to supply the overall understanding of the health benefit of bioactive peptides.     

Biotechnological approaches for the production of designer cheese with improved functionality

Cheese is a product of ancient biotechnological practices, which has been revolutionized as a functional food product in many parts of the world. Bioactive compounds, such as peptides, polysaccharides, and fatty acids, have been identified in traditional cheese products, which demonstrate functional properties such as antihypertensive, antioxidant, immunomodulation, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities. Besides, cheese-making probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exert a positive impact on gut health, aiding in digestion, and improved nutrient absorption. Advancement in biotechnological research revealed the potential of metabolite production with prebiotics and bioactive functions in several strains of LAB, yeast, and filamentous fungi. The application of specific biocatalyst producing microbial strains enhances nutraceutical value, resulting in designer cheese products with multifarious health beneficial effects. This review summarizes the biotechnological approaches applied in designing cheese products with improved functional properties.     

Effects of natural peptides from food proteins on angiotensin converting enzyme activity and hypertension

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death. The underlying pathophysiology is largely contributed by an overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS). Herein, angiotensin II (AngII) is a key mediator not only in blood pressure control and vascular tone regulation, but also involved in inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, hypertension and congestive heart failure. Since more than three decades suppression of AngII generation by inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) or blockade of the AngII-receptor has shown clinical benefit by reducing hypertension, atherosclerosis and other inflammation-associated cardiovascular diseases. Besides pharmaceutical ACE-inhibitors some natural peptides derived from food proteins reduce in vitro ACE activity. Several animal studies and a few human clinical trials have shown antihypertensive effects of such peptides, which might be attractive as food additives to prevent age-related RAAS activation. However, their inhibitory potency on in vitro ACE activity does not always correlate with an antihypertensive impact. While some peptides with high inhibitory activity on ACE-activity in vitro show no antihypertensive effect in vivo, other peptides with only a moderate ACE inhibitory activity in vitro cause such effects. The explanation for this conflicting phenomenon between inhibitory activity and antihypertensive effect remains unclear to date. This review shall critically address the effects of natural peptides derived from different food proteins on the cardiovascular system and the possible underlying mechanisms. A central aspect will be to point to conceptual gaps in the current understanding of the action of these peptides with respect to in vivo blood pressure lowering effects.     

概述乳制品加工中产生的生物活性肽

乳蛋白是许多生物活性肽的重要来源,主要的乳蛋白源生物活性肽有阿片样肽、降血压肽、免疫刺激肽、抗血栓肽和酪蛋白磷酸肽.文章对这些活性肽进行了介绍,并对乳制品(发酵乳和干酪)中的活性肽进行了讨论.乳制品中含有活性肽证明通过外源酶或微生物的作用可以将活性肽从乳蛋白中释放出来,这些肽的存在将促进乳制品的加工和消费.     

A Review of Potential Marine-derived Hypotensive and Anti-obesity Peptides

Bioactive peptides are food derived components, usually consisting of 3–20 amino acids, which are inactive when incorporated within their parent protein. Once liberated by enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis, during food processing and gastrointestinal transit, they can potentially provide an array of health benefits to the human body. Owing to an unprecedented increase in the worldwide incidence of obesity and hypertension, medical researchers are focusing on the hypotensive and anti-obesity properties of nutritionally derived bioactive peptides. The role of the renin–angiotensin system has long been established in the aetiology of metabolic diseases and hypertension. Targeting the renin–angiotensin system by inhibiting the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and preventing the formation of angiotensin II can be a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of hypertension and obesity. Fish-derived proteins and peptides can potentially be excellent sources of bioactive components, mainly as a source of ACE inhibitors. However, increased use of marine sources, poses an unsustainable burden on particular fish stocks, so, the underutilized fish species and by-products can be exploited for this purpose. This paper provides an overview of the techniques involved in the production, isolation, purification, and characterization of bioactive peptides from marine sources, as well as the evaluation of the ACE inhibitory (ACE-I) activity and bioavailability.     

发酵豆制品生物活性肽功能特性研究进展

发酵豆制品在亚洲许多国家被广泛食用,其也是生物活性肽的潜在来源。近年来,发酵豆制品生物活性肽的研究越来越深入,其降血压、抗氧化、抗菌、降血糖、抗癌等功能特性也不断地被揭示。该文对发酵豆制品生物活性肽的功能作用研究现状进行了综述,并对该领域未来研究方向进行了展望,旨在为发酵豆制品的广泛应用和深度开发提供参考。     

Functional properties and health benefits of bioactive peptides derived from Spirulina: A review

Bioactive peptides represent specific sequences of amino acids that have biological activity with several health effects and potential applications, which can be obtained from diverse protein sources. Spirulina, the cyanobacterium known for its high protein content and therapeutic properties, has been investigated as a potential source of bioactive peptides. Some bioactive peptides derived from Spirulina are under study for their ability to offer specific health benefits, such as antimicrobial, antiallergic, antihypertensive, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. Bioactive peptide fractions from Spirulina biomass can be obtained through a series of operations, including cell lysis and protein extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, potential bioactivity screening, fractionation, and purification. Potentially, Spirulina-derived peptide fractions can be applied as nutraceutical ingredients in foods and pharmaceuticals. This article reviews the functional properties and health benefits of bioactive peptides from Spirulina, and presents potential mechanisms by which bioactive components can be exploited in the development of novel foods with special health claims. In addition, this article describes recent developments in proteomics, bioactivity screening methods, and opportunities for designing future peptide-based foods.