The best known antioxidants are found in fruits, vegetables, cereals and nuts, but new antioxidants have been found in chicken, beef and pork.
When we talk about antioxidants, it is normal to think of fruits and vegetables, but not all antioxidants are vegetables. O Osaka University researchersin Japan, discovered that imidazole dipeptides (IDPs) are substances produced in the body of several animals, including humans, and are effective in relieving fatigue and preventing dementia. Where are the IPDs located? Especially in meat and fish.
Although they are known substances, until now the physiological mechanism by which PIDs exert these benefits has not been determined. A research team led by Professor Hideshi Ihara of the Faculty of Science at Osaka Metropolitan University was the first to discover dipeptides containing 2-oxo-imidazole (2-oxo-IDPs), which have one atom of carbon, oxygen more than normal PIDs and found them to be the most common variety of PDI derivatives in the body. Researchers have also found that they have remarkably high antioxidant activity.
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that can protect the body’s cells against damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that are naturally produced in the body as a result of normal metabolic processes, but are also generated in response to environmental factors such as exposure to tobacco smoke, radiation and pollution.
Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals, preventing them from causing damage to cells, thus protecting the body against disease and premature aging. The best known are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and flavonoids, found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
In their study, the researchers established a highly sensitive detection method for five types of 2-oxo-PIDs using mass spectrometry, a method in which electricity is applied to the sample to detect its component atoms. With this method, they revealed for the first time that beef, pork, chicken and other meats contain antioxidantsnot just IDPs, but different types of 2-oxo-IDPs.
The researchers hope that this detection method will be applied not only to basic biology, but also to medicine, agriculture and pharmacy, where it will help improve people’s health and prevent disease.
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