Apple Phenolic Extracts Strongly Inhibit α-Glucosidase Activity

• Published in: Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht) 2019-09, Vol.74 (3), p.430-435
• Main Authors: de Oliveira Raphaelli, Chirle, dos Santos Pereira, Elisa, Camargo, Taiane Mota, Vinholes, Juliana, Rombaldi, Cesar Valmor, Vizzotto, Márcia, Nora, Leonardo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acarbose; Antioxidants; Apples; Biological properties; Carbohydrate metabolism; Carbohydrates; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Ecology; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Food Science; Glucosidase; Hydroxyl radicals; Hyperglycemia; Nutrition; Organic chemistry; Original Paper; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Plant Physiology; Scavenging
• ISSN: 0921-9668; 1573-9104
• DOI: 10.1007/s11130-019-00757-3

The beneficial health effects of apple consumption are well known, however, little is known about the potential of its phenolic fractions to inhibit α-glucosidases and thereafter to treat diseases related to the carbohydrate metabolism, such as postprandial hyperglycemia and diabetes. In the present study, the α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant activity of different phenolic fractions of apple were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Moreover, the phenolic fractions were chemically characterized by LC-MS in order to identify the compounds responsible for the biological properties. The purified extract (not fractionated) had the highest α-glucosidase and hydroxyl radical inhibitions. The purified extract and fractions III and IV were more active against the enzyme activity than the positive control acarbose, the drug used by diabetic patients to treat postprandial hyperglycaemia. Our results show that apple phenolic extracts strongly inhibit α-glucosidase acitivity, validating their potential to be used in the management of type 2 diabetes.