Exploring dog antler chews as a novel source of collagen supplementation: extraction and characterization of collagen from red deer antlers

Abstract

Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein and is primarily found in the skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments of animals and fish. As the interest in collagen supplementation grows, new sources of this protein are continually being introduced. We have confirmed that red deer antlers are a source of type I collagen. We investigated the effects of chemical treatment, temperature, and time on the extractability of collagen from red deer antlers. The optimal conditions for obtaining the highest collagen yield were determined to be: 1) removing noncollagenous proteins at 25°C for 12 h in an alkaline solution, 2) defatting at 25°C using a 1:10 grounded antler:butyl alcohol ratio, and 3) acidic extraction lasting 36 h using a 1:10 antler:acetic acid ratio. Under these conditions, we obtained a collagen yield of 22.04%. The molecular characterization of red deer antler collagen revealed typical features of type I collagens, including the presence of three α-chains, high glycine content, and high levels of proline and hydroxyproline, as well as helical arrangements. This report suggests that red deer antlers have significant potential as a source of collagen supplements.

Antioxidant Peptides from the Collagen of Antler Ossified Tissue and Their Protective Effects against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage toward HaCaT Cells

“…As ruminants, the use of deer is less restricted by religion. Pepłowska K et al [14] determined that the best condition for obtaining collagen yield was to degrease antlers in butanol at 25 • C, and then extract them in acetic acid for 36 h. The optimized collagen yield was 22.04%; Lee et al [15] prepared acetic acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-soluble collagen (PSC) from the antler velvet of elk. The extraction method of ASC was as follows: remove the collagen with 1:10 (w/v) solid-liquid ratio for 3 days, then degrease it with 10% butyl alcohol and 1:10 (w/v) solid solvent for 24 h, and extract it with 0.5 M acetic acid for 3 days.…”