Inhibition of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase of Anthocyanin Isolated from Berberis integerrima Bunge Fruits: A Model of Antidiabetic Compounds

In Vitro Evaluation of α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase Inhibition in Thai Culinary Vegetables

Diabetes management through dietary intervention has gained significant interest, particularly in the use of natural plant-based inhibitors of key enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion. The objective of this study was to assess the inhibitory effects of ten Thai culinary vegetables on α-glucosidase and α-amylase, including Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum), holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), star gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus), galangal (Alpinia galanga), bamboo grass (Tiliacora triandra), Turkey berry (Solanum torvum), cassod tree (Senna siamea), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), noni (Morinda citrifolia), and pearl wattle (Leucaena leucocephala). All vegetables were extracted using deionized water at a 1 : 10 ratio in an ultrasonic bath operating at 350 W and a frequency of 50 Hz for 30 minutes. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the vegetable extracts ranged from 13.42 ± 0.23% to 79.84 ± 0.47%, while the inhibitory activities against α-amylase were relatively modest, ranging from 4.82 ± 3.32% to 27.49 ± 1.67%. Cassod tree exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibition with the lowest IC50 at 126.38 ± 0.98 μg/mL, followed by galangal (203.17 ± 1.05 μg/mL) and holy basil (1,240 ± 20.31 μg/mL), respectively. These results may hold promise for encouraging the consumption of vegetables as a strategy for diabetes management through the targeting of key enzyme inhibition.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), a Pre-Hispanic Food in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: Hypoglycemic, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Inhibitory Properties of α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase, and in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered one of the major health diseases worldwide, one that requires immediate alternatives to allow treatments for DM to be more effective and less costly for patients and also for health-care systems. Recent approaches propose treatments for DM based on that; in addition to focusing on reducing hyperglycemia, they also consider multitargets, as in the case of plants. Among these, we find the plant known as chia to be highlighted, a crop native to Mexico and one cultivated in Mesoamerica from pre-Hispanic times. The present work contributes to the review of the antidiabetic effects of chia for the treatment of DM. The antidiabetic effects of chia are effective in different mechanisms involved in the complex pathogenesis of DM, including hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and the inhibition of the enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylase, as well as in the prevention of the risk of cardiovascular disease. The tests reviewed included 16 in vivo assays on rodent models, 13 clinical trials, and 4 in vitro tests. Furthermore, chia represents advantages over other natural products due to its availability and its acceptance and, in addition, as a component of the daily diet worldwide, especially due to its omega-3 fatty acids and its high concentration of dietary fiber. Thus, chia in the present work represents a source of antidiabetic agents that would perhaps be useful in novel clinical treatments.

Effect of the Combination of Hibiscus sabdariffa in Combination with Other Plant Extracts in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Metabolic syndrome is a complex and multifactorial disorder associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle and situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies have shown that consumption of fruits and vegetables high in polyphenols has a protective effect, reducing cardiovascular risk. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) in combination with other plant extracts has recently attracted scientists' attention due to its potential use in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effects of HS in combination with other plant extracts on the prevention of metabolic syndrome, exploring their synergistic effects and potential as therapeutic agents. For this purpose, a systematic search of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was conducted in four different databases and the data obtained were then used for a meta-analysis. Initially, the titles and abstracts of 1368 studies were read. From these, 16 studies were examined closely for their eligibility, and finally, seven RCTs with 332 participants were included in both the meta-analysis and the qualitative analysis. Our results show that HS in combination with other plant extracts improved anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and lipid profile (low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol) compared to a placebo control group. It is important to note that although this meta-analysis suggests that HS in combination with other plant extracts may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular parameters, further research is needed to determine the optimal dose and intake duration.

Nanoformulations for the Delivery of Dietary Anthocyanins for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by abnormal blood glucose levels-hyperglycemia, caused by a lack of insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or a combination of both. The incidence of DM is increasing, resulting in billions of dollars in annual healthcare costs worldwide. Current therapeutics aim to control hyperglycemia and reduce blood glucose levels to normal. However, most modern drugs have numerous side effects, some of which cause severe kidney and liver problems. On the other hand, natural compounds rich in anthocyanidins (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin) have also been used for the prevention and treatment of DM. However, lack of standardization, poor stability, unpleasant taste, and decreased absorption leading to low bioavailability have hindered the application of anthocyanins as therapeutics. Therefore, nanotechnology has been used for more successful delivery of these bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the potential of anthocyanins for the prevention and treatment of DM and its complications, as well as the strategies and advances in the delivery of anthocyanins using nanoformulations.

Polyphenols in twenty cultivars of blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.): Profiling, antioxidant capacity, and α-amylase inhibitory activity

The polyphenols extracted from 20 blue honeysuckle cultivars were comprehensively characterized and quantified by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS² analyses and evaluated for antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP) and α-amylase inhibitory activity. The 17 anthocyanins and 59 non-anthocyanin phenolics were characterized. Among them, cyanidin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-galactoside, myricetin-3-galactoside, and 3-caffeoylquinic acid were the major polyphenols. These polyphenols not only contributed to the antioxidant capacity, but were also good α-amylase inhibitors. 'Lanjingling' showed the strongest antioxidant capacity evaluated by FRAP, while 'CBS-2' and '14-13-1' showed the strongest antioxidant capacity evaluated by ABTS and DPPH. All the twenty cultivars showed α-amylase inhibitory activity, and the IC₅₀ values ranged from 0.12 ± 0.01 to 0.69 ± 0.02 mg/mL. 'Lanjingling' showed the most potent α-amylase inhibitory activity. Additionally, principal component analysis indicated that Lonicera. caerulea subsp. emkuyedao bred in Japan differed markedly in phenolics and bioactivity compared to the other four subspecies bred in China and Russia.