Antioxidant Capacity of Cotyledons and Germs of Soybean in Relation to Their Isoflavone Content

Antioxidant Capacity of Cotyledons and Germs of Soybean in Relation to Their Isoflavone Content

Marie-Carmen Monje¹*, Monique Berger², Vincent Farines¹, Karine Reybier¹, Aude Verger¹, Jean Daydé², Vassilia Théodorou² and Françoise Nepveu¹¹Université Paul Sabatier, UMR 152 IRD-Université, Route de Narbonne 118, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France
²Laboratoire d’Agrophysiologie (UMR ESAP-INRA 1054), Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie de Purpan, 75 voie du Toec, B.P. 57611, F-31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France

Article history:
Received March 22, 2005
Accepted November 4, 2005

Key words:
soybean, cultivar, location, isoflavones, antioxidant capacity

Summary:
The aim was to study the relationship between the antioxidant capacity and the isoflavone content of soybean extracts depending on both geographic origin and cultivar. Soybean samples were obtained from two soybean seed parts, germ and cotyledon, from two geographical locations (L1, L2) and two cultivars (Queen, Imari), which gave 8 different samples. HPLC determination confirmed higher isoflavone content in germs than in cotyledons, with higher contents in site L2, and in the Queen cultivar. The antioxidant capacity of soybean samples was determined with two methods, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay. The results obtained with both assays showed differences in antioxidant capacity between germ and cotyledon extracts, with a higher antioxidant activity of germ extracts.

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