Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a source of nutritious seeds that have been used as human food for thousands of years. The seeds contain nonmedicinal levels (70% solubility at pH 4.0–6.0, whereas most plant proteins are typically insoluble. Addition of hemp seed protein to polycystic kidney disease rat diet led to reduced pathological intensity of renal disease and amelioration of associated cardiovascular impairment. Moreover, hemp seed enzymatic hydrolysates have proven effective during in vitro and in vivo tests as antioxidant and antihypertensive agents. Therefore, hemp seed proteins and hydrolysates have the potential to be used as ingredients to formulate functional foods.
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