title: Effects of sodium selenite and germination on the sprouting of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and its content of selenium, formononetin and biochanin A in the sprouts.
abstract: To improve the nutritional value of chickpea food, selenium (Se)-rich chickpea sprouts were produced by germination of chickpea seeds for 6 days at 28 centigrade in the presence of various concentrations of Na(2)SeO(3) in germination solution. High concentrations of selenite were found to inhibit the growth of chickpea sprout and the biosynthesis of isoflavones formononetin and biochanin A. However, chickpea sprouts could tolerate up to ~50 mg/L of Na(2)SeO(3), under which condition the product chickpea sprouts contained a high Se content (2.14 μg/g dry weight) and a moderate high content of isoflavones (601.56 μg biochanin A/g dry weight and 578.11 μg formononetin/g dry weight). Se was incorporated in chickpea sprout in the form of selenomethionine. Thus, Se-enriched chickpea sprouts may serve as a convenient dietary source of Se and of isoflavones, including formononetin and biochanin A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Taishan Medical University, Tai'an 271000, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoda
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zuoli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D029863:Cicer / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D019833:Genistein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015394:Molecular Structure; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; C007768:formononetin; D019833:Genistein; D012643:Selenium; D018038:Sodium Selenite; C004541:biochanin A