Enhancement of Functional Properties and Biological Activity in Barley and Wheat Grains by Germination

Abstract

In recent years, sprouted grains have become very popular and widely accepted as a functional food because of their nutritious and health benefits. So, this study was performed to evaluate the phytochemical com­position, and in vitro antioxidant capacity, reducing power, antihyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory activities, of seven-day old cereal sprouts (CS): Cultivars, barley NS565 (BSNS), barley Golozr­ni (BSG), wheat Spelta (WSSPE), wheat Simonida (WSSIM). Phenolic compounds were the most dominant bioactives in all CS. BSNS expressed significantly higher (p≤ 0.05) content of total phenols, chlo­rophyll and carotenoids. The total flavonoids content (TFC) in CS showed that barley sprouts (BSNS, BSG) had the higher value (P≤ 0.05) than wheat sprouts (WSSPE, WSSIM) respectively. The freeze-dried sprouts powders (FDSP) extracts were screened for possible antioxidant ca­pacities using DPPH, ABTS, and reducing power (Rp) assays. The results indicated that the BSNS possessed higher antioxi­dant capacities in DPPH and ABTS assays, and reducing power (IC50DPPH = 0.54 mg/ml; IC50ABTS = 0.79 mg/ml; IC0.5RP = 9.35 mg/ml) respectively. The inhibitory effect of FDSP extracts on α-glucosidase activity was investigated. The BSNS extracts exhibited higher inhibitory activity (IC50AHgA = 1.43 mg/ml) against α-glucosidase (p≤ 0.05). The anti-inflammato­ry activity (Denaturation of protein in vitro) showed signifi­cantly different between the FDSP, and Diclofenac sodium (DS). The IC50AIA of DS and BSNS was 0.79 and 1.86 (mg/ml) res­pectively. There was a strong positive correlation between TPC and antioxidant activities and reducing power, and also between TFC and anti-inflammatory activity.