Buffalo ricotta peptide and oxidative stress in lab cells
What it found
In lab tests on rat intestinal cells, a peptide released from buffalo ricotta during simulated digestion reduced oxidative stress and boosted antioxidant enzymes.
The work was done in cells, not in people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Ricotta digest most active
Among six buffalo-milk dairy digests, the buffalo ricotta digest inhibited reactive oxygen species release the most in rat intestinal cells treated with hydrogen peroxide.
Peptide identified
A peptide called YVEELKPTPEGDL, from beta-lactoglobulin, was found to be abundant in the most active fraction of buffalo ricotta digest.
Peptide reduces ROS
The synthesised peptide significantly reduced reactive oxygen species release in rat intestinal cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, at all concentrations tested.
Antioxidant enzymes increase
The peptide increased the activation of Nrf2 and the expression of antioxidant enzymes HO-1, NQO1 and SOD in the same cells.
What the authors conclude
“These results indicate that buffalo ricotta cheese-isolated peptide could have potential in the treatment of some gastrointestinal disorders.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the peptide from buffalo ricotta could have potential in the treatment of some gastrointestinal disorders.
- They suggest buffalo ricotta cheese could be used in functional and personalised foods to help maintain wellness and prevent some gut conditions.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if buffalo-milk dairy products release antioxidant peptides during digestion, since few studies have looked at buffalo milk and oxidative stress is linked to gut disorders.
They simulated digestion of six buffalo-milk dairy products, tested the digests on rat intestinal cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide, then identified and synthesised a peptide from buffalo ricotta and tested it on the same cells.
What it can’t tell you
- These are lab tests on rat cells. They cannot show what happens in people.
- The study did not test whether eating buffalo ricotta has any effect on oxidative stress in the human body.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- University of Salerno, Italy; University of Naples Federico II, Italy; "Sapienza" Università di Roma, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Antioxidant Properties of Buffalo-Milk Dairy Products: A β-Lg Peptide Released after Gastrointestinal Digestion of Buffalo Ricotta Cheese Reduces Oxidative Stress in Intestinal Epithelial Cells
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Basilicata MG, Pepe G, Adesso S, et al (2018). Antioxidant Properties of Buffalo-Milk Dairy Products: A β-Lg Peptide Released after Gastrointestinal Digestion of Buffalo Ricotta Cheese Reduces Oxidative Stress in Intestinal Epithelial Cells. International journal of molecular sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms19071955Free full textPubMed 29973491DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error