dc.description.abstract | The trypsin activity is involved in aetiology of certain diseases such as
neurodegenerative disorders, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the
discovery of natural trypsin inhibitors has been gain attention recently. The present
study aimed to screen the trypsin inhibitory activity (TIA) in seeds of Polon mae, a
local variety of Vigna unguiculata ssp sesquipedalis and to assess the impact of
different physio-chemical parameters on TIA. Polon mae seeds were collected from
the Field Crops Research and Development Institute of Sri Lanka. A series of
concentrations of aqueous seed extract was screened for TIA using casein as the
substrate. The concentration which exhibited the maximum activity was preincubated
in different temperatures and pH values and also in the presence of
different metal ions, detergents, oxidizing and reducing agents, prior to evaluate
TIA. The maximum TIA was exhibited by the 10% (w/v) extract (97.56±0.01%). The
highest TIA was indicated at 37°C (91.24±0.01%) and it exhibited a considerable
TIA in higher temperatures (54.95±0.01 at 1000C) as well. Among different pH
conditions, the seed extract exhibited high TIA at 7.0 pH (96.25±0.01%) and pH 7.4
(93.86±0.01%). In the presence of different metal ions (Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Ba2+, and
Na+), Triton X-100 (detergent), dimethyl sulfoxide (oxidizing agent) and
dithiothreitol (reducing agent) TIA of the seed extract reduced significantly
(p<0.05). The present study suggests that, Polon mae seeds contain highly active
trypsin inhibitors which are thermostable and the information on the impact of
different physio-chemical parameters on TIA will be useful in future studies. | en_US |