CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF ANTLERS FROM WAPITI (CERVUS-ELAPHUS)

Antlers, the fast growing structures of cervids, are fascinating tissues that are useful as a model for the study of bone growth and metabolism. They are also used for oriental medicine and tonics. However, little is known about their chemical composition. Four sets of fresh velvet antlers were obtained at 65 days after button casting from four 4-year-old wapiti, and the chemical composition of each antler was determined in four sections (tip, upper, middle, and base). The contents of dry matter, collagen, ash, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium increased(p < 0.05), and those of protein and lipid decreased (p < 0.05) downward from the tip to the base. The concentrations of uronic acid, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, and sialic acid decreased (p < 0 05) downward. Amino acid and fatty acid contents, expressed as percentage of total protein and lipid, respectively, also varied (p < 0.05) among sections. The tip section, which is the growth center of the antler, had highest proportions of tyrosine and isoleucine and lowest proportions of glycine and alanine. The C18:3 omega 6 fatty acid was found in the tip section only.