Study on Extraction of Mucopolysaccharide-protein Containing Chondroitin Sulfate from Chicken Keel Cartilage

The objective of this study was to investigate technical methods for extraction of mucopolysachharide-protein containing chondroitin sulfate from keel cartilage of chickens. The chemical composition of chicken keel cartilage was determined. For the preparation of mucopolysaccharide-protein from lyophilized chicken keel cartilage, hot water extraction and alcalase hydrolysis methods were examined. Results showed that the optimum condition of hot water extraction was incubation for 120 min with a yield of 40.09% and chondroitin sulfate content of 28.46%. For alcalase hydrolysis, the most effective condition was 2% alcalase in 10 volumes of distilled water for 120 min. The yield of hydrolysate was 75.87%, and chondroitin sulfate content was 26.61%. For further separation of chondroitin sulfate from the alcalase hydrolysate, which has a higher yield than that of hot water, 60% ethanol precipitation was performed. The yield of the ethanol precipitate was 21.41% and its chondroitin sulfate content was 46.31%. The hot water extract, alcalase hydrolysate and ethanol precipitate showed similar electrophoretic migration with standard chondroitin sulfate (chondroitin sulfate A), using cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis. These results indicated that a significant amount of mucopolysaccharideprotein containing chondroitin sulfate could be acquired form chicken keel cartilage. Therefore, keel cartilage in chicken may provide an inexpensive source of chondroitin sulfate for commercial purposes. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2006. Vol 19, No. 4 : 601-604)