What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to explore the biofunctional properties of fermented camel milk and its impact on diabetes, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

March 13, 2026Open Access

Peptidomic profiling and molecular dynamics study of bioactive peptides from fermented camel milk: considering the fermentation time dependent proteolysis by Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces with antidiabetic, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities

Key Points

The research aims to explore the biofunctional properties of fermented camel milk and its impact on diabetes, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Camel milk fermented with Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae at varying times (0, 12, 36, 48h)
Cytoprotective, antioxidative, and antidiabetic activities assessed through various assays
Molecular dynamics and docking simulations to evaluate peptide interactions with human digestive enzymes
Fermented camel milk showed 81.33% inhibition of α-amylase and 68.37% inhibition of α-glucosidase, indicating strong antidiabetic effects
Antioxidative activity increased to 65.87% at 48 hours
Proteolytic activity peaked at 6.41 mg/ml after 48 hours of fermentation
Molecular docking studies confirmed the binding potential of peptide CCFSSCAMR to digestive enzymes, supporting its functional role

Abstract

This study addresses the growing demand for natural functional foods with therapeutic potential, particularly for managing diabetes, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The aim of this research was to investigate the biofunctional attributes of camel milk fermented with Limosilactobacillus fermentum (KGL4) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (WBS2A), with a focus on its antidiabetic, antioxidative, proteolytic, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective activities. Fermentation was performed for 0, 12, 36 and 48 h at 30 °C (2% inoculum rate). Fermented camel milk significantly enhanced α-amylase (81.33%) and α-glucosidase (68.37%) inhibition, demonstrating strong antidiabetic potential. Antioxidant activity, as assessed through the ABTS assay, progressively increased with incubation time, reaching a peak of 65.87% at 48 h. Proteolytic activity also rose significantly, attaining a maximum of 6.41 mg/ml (2.5% inoculum concentration at 30 °C/48 h). Chromatographic profiling via RP-HPLC revealed increased bioactivity in 3 kDa permeate (antidiabetic) and 10 kDa retentate (antioxidant) samples, suggesting the role of low-molecular-weight peptides. 2D gel electrophoresis and SDS–PAGE confirmed proteolytic cleavage, revealing the presence of smaller peptide fragments in the fermented samples than in the unfermented controls. Further structural analysis via FTIR and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated secondary structure modifications, including increased β-sheet formation and reduced aggregate size. Molecular docking studies revealed that the identified peptide sequence CCFSSCAMR effectively bound to the human digestive enzymes hBAL, hPAM, and hMGA via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, supporting its potential inhibitory function. Additionally, fermented CM displayed strong anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. This study highlights the potential of fermented camel milk as a value-added functional food with significant antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties. The generation of low-molecular-weight bioactive peptides through targeted microbial fermentation provides a scientific foundation for developing natural, nonpharmacological interventions for metabolic and inflammation-related disorders. These findings support the application of fermented camel milk in functional food and nutraceutical development.

Bookmark

View Full Paper

Cite This Study

Padhiyar et al. (Tue,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69b3ab0002a1e69014ccbaf2 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1709521

Bookmark

View Full Paper