Antioxidant characteristics of hydrolysate from low-value sea cucumber: In vitro and in vivo activities of Caenorhabditis elegans

The antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo of Actinopyga miliaris hydrolysate (AMH) was investigated. The proportion of oligopeptides with 150–1000 Da in AMH was 65.48%. The IC(50) values of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, and ferric ion reducing power of AMH were 0.37, 3.43, and 24.15 mg/mL, respectively. Compared with the control group, the body length of Caenorhabditis elegans fed with 8 mg/mL AMH extended from 632.08 μm to 1009.57 μm, and the swallowing frequency and head-swing frequency increased significantly. After being fed with AMH, the lifespan of C. elegans can be prolonged even under stress conditions, primarily due to superoxide dismutase activity, catalase activity, reduced glutathione content, and total antioxidant capacity in C. elegans increased, whereas reactive oxygen species level was reduced. The results showed that AMH had in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity, which can alleviate oxidative damage and prolong life of C. elegans.