Inhibition of lipid oxidation by carnosine

Abstract

The antioxidant activity of carnosine, a β‐alanine‐histidine dipeptide found in skeletal muscle, was investigated. Carnosine (25 mM) inhibited the catalysis of lipid oxidation by iron, hemoglobin, lipoxidase and singlet oxygen from 35–96% suggesting that the antioxidant mechanism of carnosine is not solely due to metal chelation. Heating the carnosine at 100°C for 15 min had no effect on its ability to inhibit these lipid oxidation catalysts, and the activity of carnosine was not affected over the pH range of 5.1–7.1. Studies using tocopherol‐containing liposomes suggest that carnosine and tocopherol do not act synergistically to inhibit lipid oxidation. These data indicate that carnosine has excellent potential for use as a natural antioxidant in processed foods.