In vitro Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Germinated African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) Seed Flours as Alternative Natural Products in Human Health Complications

• S. A. Malomo

  Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

  Author

This study investigated the in vitro anti-inflammatory properties of germinated African yam bean (AYB) seed flours as alternative natural products for human health applications. Germinated AYB seed flour was produced by first germinating the bean seeds using standard methods, dried and milled. The flour was divided into two parts - one was defatted and the other left undefatted. Protein content, amino acid profile and anti-inflammatory properties of the three samples viz: undefatted non-germinated AYB (UPM) (which served as the control), undefatted germinated AYB (UGPM) and defatted germinated AYB (DGPM) were determined using standard methods. Ctrude protein content ranged from 24.42-40.37% with very high amount of hydrophobic (27.31-34.20%) and aromatic (8.82-12.61%) amino acids. These compositions might have contributed to the high anti-inflammatory capacities (IC50<40 µg/ml) observed in this study. Interestingly, the sample extracts easily inhibited (IC50<25 µg/ml) the activities of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (5-LOX), the dual enzymes usually implicated in most inflammatory processes. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that the germinated African yam bean seed flours may find use as alternative natural products for managing various pro-inflammatory issues in the human body.

1. S. A. Malomo, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

   Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

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