Purification, molecular docking and in vivo analyses of novel angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from protein hydrolysate of moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Màrechal) seeds

The moth bean is a high-protein food legume. Enzymatic hydrolysates of food proteins demostrate health benefits. Search for diet related food protein hydrolysates is therefore within the scope of functional foods. Present study asertains to produce, screen and identify natural ACE-I inhibitory peptides derived from moth bean seed protein hydrolysates. The extracted protein was hydrolysed using alcalase, chymotrypsin, flavourzyme, papain, pepsin and trypsin respectively. Alcalase achieved the greatest degree of hydrolysis and ACE inhibition. The highest ACE-I inhibitory activity was exhibited by the peptide with the lowest molecular weight i.e. <3 kDa (IC50 11.19 ± 0.15 μg/mL). This was further separated by FPLC, followed by mass spectrometry. Molecular docking analysis showed the peptides IAWDFR and ADLPGLK bind to active sites whereas DKPWWPK and AVIPNAPNLR to non-active sites of the ACE molecule. In vivo administration of MBP hydrolysate to dexamethasone-induced hypertensive rats reduced their systolic blood pressure (125 ± 0.76 mmHg) compared with positive control (155 ± 3.13 mmHg). Moth bean protein peptides exhibit functional nutraceutical properties with adequate antihypertensive activity.