The aim of this study was to purify and identify peptides with antioxidant properties from protein hydrolysate of scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) cartilage. Cartilaginous proteins of the scalloped hammerhead were extracted by guanidine hydrochloride, and three antioxidant peptides, named enzymolysis peptide of scalloped hammerhead cartilage A (SCPE-A), SCPE-B and SCPE-C, were subsequently isolated from the hydrolysate of the cartilaginous proteins using ultrafiltration and chromatography. The amino acid sequences of SCPE-A, SCPE-B and SCPE-C were identified as Gly-Pro-Glu (GPE), Gly-Ala-Arg-Gly-Pro-Gln (GARGPQ), and Gly-Phe-Thr-Gly-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Asn-Gly (GFTGPPGFNG), with molecular weights of 301.30 Da, 584.64 Da and 950.03 Da, respectively. As per in vitro activity testing, SCPE-A, SCPE-B and SCPE-C exhibited strong scavenging activities on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH•) (half elimination ratio (EC50) 2.43, 2.66 and 1.99 mg/mL), hydroxyl radicals (HO•) (EC50 0.28, 0.21 and 0.15 mg/mL), 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radicals (ABTS⁺•) (EC50 0.24, 0.18 and 0.29 mg/mL), and superoxide anion radicals ( O 2 - •) (EC50 0.10, 0.14 and 0.11 mg/mL). In addition, SCPE-A showed inhibition activity similar to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in lipid peroxidation in a linoleic acid model system. The amino acid residues of Gly, Pro and Phe could positively influence the antioxidant activities of GPE, GARGPQ and GFTGPPGFNG. These results suggested that GPE, GARGPQ and GFTGPPGFNG might serve as potential antioxidants and be used as food additives and functional foods.
Keywords: antioxidant activity; cartilage; peptide; scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini).