The modulation of pancreatic lipase activity by alginates

• Published in: Food chemistry 2014-03, Vol.146 (100), p.479-484
• Main Authors: Wilcox, Matthew D., Brownlee, Iain A., Richardson, J. Craig, Dettmar, Peter W., Pearson, Jeffrey P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alginate; alginates; Alginates - chemistry; analysis; Biological and medical sciences; biopolymers; chemistry; enzyme activity; Enzyme Inhibitors; Enzyme Inhibitors - chemistry; enzymology; food industry; foods; Glucuronic Acid; Glucuronic Acid - chemistry; Hexuronic Acids; Hexuronic Acids - analysis; Hexuronic Acids - chemistry; Inhibition; Kinetics; Laminaria; Lipase; Lipase - chemistry; Lipase - metabolism; macroalgae; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; metabolism; Obesity; Pancreas; Pancreas - enzymology; Seaweed; Seaweed - chemistry; triacylglycerol lipase; triacylglycerols; weight control; Weight management
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.075

•Certain alginates are effective inhibitors of pancreatic lipase.•The level of lipase inhibition by alginates is related to the structure of the polymer.•High guluronate alginates achieve greater lipase inhibition than high mannuronate.•Alginates have the potential to be a well-tolerated obesity treatment. Alginates are comprised of mannuronic (M) and guluronic acid (G) and have been shown to inhibit enzyme activity. Pancreatic lipase is important in dietary triacylglycerol breakdown; reducing pancreatic lipase activity would reduce triacylglycerol breakdown resulting in lower amounts being absorbed by the body. Lipase activity in the presence of biopolymers was assessed by enzymatic assay using natural and synthetic substrates. Alginate inhibited pancreatic lipase by a maximum of 72.2% (±4.1) with synthetic substrate (DGGR) and 58.0% (±9.7) with natural substrate. High-G alginates from Laminaria hyperborea seaweed inhibited pancreatic lipase to a significantly higher degree than High-M alginates from Lessonia nigrescens, showing that inhibition was related to alginate structure. High-G alginates are effective inhibitors of pancreatic lipase and are used in the food industry at low levels. They could be included at higher levels in foods without altering organoleptic qualities, potentially reduce the uptake of dietary triacylglycerol aiding in weight management.