Identification of Artocarpus hirsutus and Garcinia gummi-gutta as the sources of trypsin inhibitory proteins

Abstract

Natural trypsin inhibitors from plant tissues are emerging with promising therapeutic uses. They have profound applications in medicine and biotechnology and are extensively used in the food and medicine industry. Their activities are affected by detergents, metal ions, and reducing or chelating agents that are commonly used in these industries. Artocarpus hirsutus and Garcinia gummi-gutta are two tropical trees wherein most of the plant parts except the seeds were extensively studied and proved to possess medicinal properties. In the present study, the seeds of these tropical plants are proved to possess trypsin inhibitory activity. We report here the partial purification of trypsin inhibitory proteins from mature seed extracts of A. hirsutus and G.gummi-gutta in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.6). The partial purification was done by ammonium sulphate precipitation. Modulation of activity of A. hirsutus and G. gummi-gutta TIs by thermal stabilisers, metal ions and detergents were analysed. There was a significant fold of purification, in both cases. The thermal stabilisers, metal ions and detergents modulate the activities of the two TIs in their way. The study effectively provides choices of optimal additives to be used, where industrial processing of these TIs is required for therapeutic applications.