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Effect of sodium selenite on isoflavonoid contents and antioxidant capacity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) sprouts.
D. GUARDADO (1), J. Gutierrez-Uribe (2), S. Serna-Saldivar (3) (1) Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Culiacan, Mexico; (2) Monterrey Tech., Monterrey, Mexico; (3) Monterrey Tech., , Mexico.

Isoflavonoids composition, antioxidant capacity and amino acid composition were evaluated in chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum L</i>.) sprouts germinated under different sodium selenite concentrations (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/100 g seeds). Chickpea seeds were germinated during four days at 24 °C and the isoflavonoid profiles and concentrations evaluated daily during four days germination by HPLC-UV. Twelve isoflavones and two pterocarpan phytoalexins forms were identified in sprouts, being formononetin glycoside malonylated, formononetin, genistein, isoformononetin glycoside malonylated, biochanin A, biochanin A glycoside and pseudobagtigenin glycoside the major compounds. The highest isoflavonoid concentration was quantified in the fourth day of germination. Total isoflavonoid concentration increased 80% in sprouts obtained using high Se content (2 mg/100 g seeds) compared to counterparts without chemical Se stress. Antioxidant capacity increased only 30%. Germinated chickpea obtained with chemical stress elicited by the sodium selenite concentrations reduced the concentration of total amino acids. Ours results suggest that Se-enriched chickpea sprouts could represent a good source of dietary Se and serve as an excellent functional food rich especially in terms of isoflavonoids.