Search Results (1,793)

Medicinal plants represent a promising source of bioactive compounds with potential antidiabetic activity, while the efficacy of plant extracts depends on both plant matrix and extraction conditions. This study aimed to systematically compare selected medicinal plants and extraction solvents to evaluate their impact on extracts’ in vitro α-amylase inhibitory activity, total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial properties. Extracts of sage (Salvia officinalis), blueberry leaf (Vaccinium myrtillus), nettle (Urtica dioica), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), and green and roasted coffee (Coffea arabica) were prepared using different solvent systems (50% (v/v) ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerol, and water), as well as a traditional aqueous infusion protocol. Extraction solvent strongly affected bioactivity: ethanol extracts showed the highest α-amylase inhibition, particularly in sage extract (79.60%) and blueberry leaf (57.71%). No significant correlation with TPC was observed (r = 0.229, p = 0.108), but aqueous ethanol yielded the highest TPC, with blueberry leaf being richest (64.16 ± 0.82 mg GAE/g), followed by roasted coffee (49.36 ± 0.83 mg GAE/g). Ethanol extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, sage and blueberry leaves showed the most promising multifunctional activity, highlighting their potential for further investigation as functional food ingredients. Full article

Quercetin (QE), a flavonol-type polyphenol, and oat β-glucan (OβG), a soluble dietary fiber, are natural active ingredients with the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes. OβG slows starch digestion by modifying chyme viscosity, while QE inhibits digestive enzyme activity. This study aimed to explore the formation mechanism and structural characteristics of QE-OβG complexes, as well as their functional properties in terms of viscosity and amylase inhibitory activities. It was found that QE and OβG formed stable non-covalent complexes via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. At a mass ratio of 0.6, the binding capacity was relatively high with a moderate aggregation degree, representing a balanced interaction state. Changes in turbidity and particle size indicated that different environmental factors (pH, temperature, ionic strength) exert differential effects on the aggregation behavior of the complex. In addition, the complex exhibited a unique fibrous-block morphology, enhanced thermal stability, improved starch system viscoelasticity, and stronger mixed-type reversible α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 2.629 mg/mL). This study clarifies the interaction mechanism between QE and OβG, provides a reliable theoretical basis for the development of novel hypoglycemic foods, and offers new insights into multi-component regulation strategies for slow-digestion food design. Full article

Corn tortillas are consumed daily in Mexico. Alkaline extrusion is an alternative process that generates nixtamalized tortillas and preserves more bioactive compounds. Chickpea germination-extrusion may enhance the bioactive compound content. The aim was to characterize the physicochemical and antioxidant/antidiabetic properties of functional tortillas of alkaline-extruded blue corn (TC) with germinated (TG) or germinated-extruded (TGE) desi-chickpea. Likewise, the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGD) on the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds (phenolics, soluble protein, peptides, anthocyanins, and isoflavones) was estimated. Antioxidant capacity/cellular activity was determined by ORAC (AoxC) and in the Caco-2 cell line (CAA), while antidiabetic potential by α-amylase inhibition. The supplementation with processed chickpeas (TG/TGE) increased protein, ash, and isoflavone content (p < 0.05) compared with TC. SGD (%) released (p < 0.05) bioactive compounds from tortillas, and their bioaccessibility was among 34–70%; noticeably low phenolic bioaccessibility in TG/TGE. The AoxC was higher in TG/TGE (p < 0.05) compared with TC; in contrast, CAA was higher in TC, and both increased after SGD. TG depicted the lowest amylase inhibition; after SGD, the IC₅₀ values were 62–72-fold lower in the digests than in the tortillas. These results suggest that functional tortillas with processed chickpeas enhance nutraceutical potential. Full article

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and increasingly prevalent metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Despite the availability of pharmacological agents that effectively manage blood glucose levels, many are associated with adverse effects, limited efficacy over time, and high costs. Consequently, there is growing interest in alternative therapies, especially those derived from traditional medicinal plants, that have long been employed in various cultures for managing diabetes. Recent advances in phytochemistry have identified bioactive plant secondary metabolites with promising antidiabetic properties. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of plant-derived compounds that exhibit inhibitory activity against key diabetes-related enzymes, including α-glucosidase, α-amylase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). These enzymes play critical roles in glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways. The review highlights the structural diversity of these natural inhibitors, their mechanisms of action, and their effectiveness in preclinical models. Understanding the molecular interactions and pharmacological profiles of these metabolites may facilitate the development of safer and more effective antidiabetic agents. Full article

This study investigated the effect of pre-cooking level of germinated highland barley pulp on the staling properties and digestibility of pre-packaged barbecued pork buns during refrigerated storage (0–9 days). The addition of barley pulp significantly delayed quality deterioration, resulting in a decreased specific volume (up to 20%) and an increased hardness (up to 71.76%) across all samples. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited the rise in starch short-range order, as evidenced by a decreased FTIR ratio of 1047/1022 cm⁻¹, and retarded the conformational transition between protein α-helix and β-sheet structures. When the gelatinization degree increased to 91.22%, rapidly digestible starch (RDS) decreased significantly while resistant starch (RS) increased. The sauce infiltration layer exhibited a higher maximum RS (23.23%) than the inner crumb (16.52%). The Glycemic Index (GI) was significantly reduced, with the lowest values observed in the BJ60 group (53.22 for the sauce infiltration layer and 60.37 for the inner crumb). α-Amylase inhibition was also enhanced with increasing gelatinization degrees. Significant correlations were found between starch structural parameters and digestibility. These results demonstrate that incorporating germinated highland barley pulp is a feasible strategy to simultaneously improve the shelf-life and nutritional quality of steamed buns. Full article

Peucephyllum schottii is an aromatic desert plant of the family Asteraceae, which has little scientific research regarding its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties. This study aims to evaluate in detail the chemical composition and antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of P. schottii leaves. The chemical composition of the plant extract was analyzed by GC-MS. Total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents of the plant were calculated. An antioxidant assay of the plant material was performed by using the DPPH and ABTS tests. The antibacterial activities of P. schottii plant material against six pathogenic bacteria were studied by using the agar diffusion and MIC/MBC techniques. Colorimetric analysis, for its part, enabled the assessment of its antihyperglycemic activities (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) and its cytotoxic activities (in MCF-7 and HepG2 cells). The expressions of apoptotic proteins (caspases, Bcl2, and Bax), were analyzed by RT-PCR. The GC-MS findings showed the presence of complex phytoconstituents of P. schottii in the form of linoleic acid (19.48%), hexadecanoic acid (15.01%), and vitamin E (12.15%). There is high TPC (118.18 mg of GAE/g) and TFC (75.56 mg of QE/g) in P. schottii plant material. The plant showed significant antioxidant (≈105 μg/mL IC₅₀ in DPPH and ≈80 μg/mL IC₅₀ in ABTS) and broad-spectrum antibacterial activities, mostly against E. coli (MIC = 4.68 μg/mL), as well as antihyperglycemic activities against α-amylase (IC₅₀ = 334 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 196 μg/mL) enzymes. The plant material showed cytotoxic effects in MCF-7 and HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (IC₅₀ = 78 ± 1.13 μg/mL and 68.23 ± 2.41 μg/mL, respectively). These findings point to P. schottii leaf extract’s potential as a natural antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, and chemopreventive agent. Full article

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health challenge that has intensified interest in multi-target nutraceuticals with potential adjunctive benefits. Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi/Reishi) is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used in East Asia and is increasingly investigated for its role in glycemic regulation and metabolic disturbances. This review critically synthesizes current evidence on its hypoglycemic effects, focusing on bioactive compounds, molecular mechanisms, and translational limitations. Unlike broader reviews on Ganoderma bioactivity and health-related benefits, this review specifically evaluates the alignment between taxonomic authentication, chemical standardization, preclinical mechanisms, and human clinical evidence in the context of glycemic regulation. This narrative review was based on a targeted literature search conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies published up to October 2025, supplemented by Google Scholar. The included studies comprised in vitro experiments, in vivo animal models, and human clinical trials evaluating glycemic and metabolic outcomes of Ganoderma preparations. In vitro and animal studies indicate that polysaccharides, including β-(1→3)/(1→6)-glucans and proteoglycans such as FYGL, may improve insulin sensitivity via AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and PI3K/Akt pathways, promote GLUT4 (glucose transporter type 4) translocation, suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis, protect pancreatic β-cells, and modulate gut microbiota. In enzyme assays and preclinical models, lanostane-type triterpenoids act primarily by inhibiting α-glucosidase and α-amylase, thereby potentially reducing postprandial glucose excursions. Despite consistent preclinical evidence, clinical findings remain heterogeneous, with the largest randomized controlled trial reporting no significant glycemic benefit. Overall, Ganoderma lucidum shows strong mechanistic plausibility but insufficient clinical evidence for antidiabetic efficacy. Future research should prioritize species authentication, chemical standardization, and adequately powered clinical trials. Full article

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe inflammatory disorder with limited therapeutic options. Novel bile acids have emerged as potent immunomodulators, but the function of norcholic acid (NorCA) previously remained unknown. In this study, we identified NorCA’s role as a novel immunomodulator that alleviates acute pancreatitis through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα)-mediated macrophage reprogramming and efferocytosis. Targeted metabolomics was performed on serum from patients with AP and caerulein-induced AP mice. The functional role and mechanism of NorCA were investigated using flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, efferocytosis assays, and network pharmacology, both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings indicate that NorCA levels were significantly elevated in both patients and mice with AP, correlating with disease severity and complications. NorCA treatment markedly reduced serum amylase/lipase and pancreatic histopathological damage in AP mice. Mechanistically, NorCA promoted M1-to-M2 macrophage reprogramming and enhanced efferocytosis of apoptotic cells. These effects were dependent on PPARα activation, as demonstrated by siRNA silencing and pharmacological antagonism. These findings position NorCA as a promising therapeutic candidate and severity-associated metabolite in AP. Full article

Thiazolyl-benzene/camphor sulfonamide derivatives (series 4a–k, 5a–j and 6a–i) were synthesized by reaction of various aryl sulfonyl chlorides and camphor sulfonyl chlorides with 2-amino-4-phenylthiazole. The compounds were evaluated for antibacterial, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase/α-amylase inhibitory activities. Biological screening showed that 4h, 5g and 5i displayed significant activity against most Gram-positive bacteria (MICs 4.68–18.75 µg/mL), while 4b and 5i were active against most Gram-negative bacteria with similar MIC ranges. In the DPPH assay, 4e, 4f, 4g and 4h exhibited slightly stronger radical-scavenging activity than ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ ≈ 3.5–3.8 µM vs. 4.14 µM); 5f emerged as the best dual carbohydrate-digesting enzyme inhibitor, and 5b and 5e demonstrated selectivity toward α-amylase. Full article

Uniform germination and rapid seedling establishment are essential for efficient hot pepper production. This study evaluated a hempseed press cake-derived protein hydrolysate–zinc(II) complex (HPH–Zn) as a seed coating designed to enhance early crop performance via formulation-based Zn delivery. The HPH–Zn complex was synthesized via peptide–Zn chelation, physicochemically characterized, and applied at 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg Zn g⁻¹ seed (HPH–Zn0.25, HPH–Zn0.50, and HPH–Zn1.00, respectively). Seed performance was assessed by laboratory germination, accelerated aging, and greenhouse tests. Compared with uncoated, polymer-only, and ZnSO₄ treatments, HPH–Zn significantly improved germination, post-aging performance, field emergence, and early seedling growth in a dose-dependent manner. Relative to uncoated seeds, HPH–Zn1.00 increased laboratory germination, post-aging germination, and field emergence by 10.9, 12.3, and 20.3%, respectively. These responses were associated with stronger soluble sugar accumulation and α-amylase activity during early imbibition. PCA ranked HPH–Zn1.00 as the highest-performing treatment, characterized by greater emergence, biomass, and Zn uptake. However, HPH–Zn0.50 still improved germination and early growth at lower Zn input, whereas HPH–Zn1.00 maximized emergence and Zn accumulation, indicating a performance–input trade-off. These results support waste-derived HPH–Zn as a formulation-based seed coating for improving early seedling establishment in hot pepper. Full article

Green tea is highly popular due to its richness in polyphenols exhibiting broad bioactivities. Tea polyphenols, primarily catechins and flavonoids, demonstrate health benefits following biotransformation by the gut microbiota to overcome limited bioavailability. However, metabolites and interaction between green tea polyphenol and the gut microbiota remains to be fully elucidated. This study investigates the biotransformation of metabolites and interaction between human gut microbiota (HGM) and green tea extract (GTE) through in vitro anaerobic fermentation. Temporal bioactivity assessments demonstrated that fermentation-enhanced antioxidant capacity and inhibition potential of α-glucosidase, α-amylase and pancreatic lipase peak at 6 h, showing strong correlations with polyphenol and flavonoid biotransformation kinetics. Using the untargeted metabolomics approach, 55 characteristic differential compounds during the fermentation process in GTE were characterized, including 15 catechins, 29 flavonoids, five organic acids and six other phytochemicals. Furthermore, nine microbial-transformed metabolites derived from GTE flavonoids were identified and the corresponding metabolic pathways were proposed simultaneously. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that GTE significantly enhanced gut microbiota diversity and induced structural reorganization, specifically enriching genera such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus and Enterococcus, which are likely involved in flavonoid biotransformation of GTE. Thus, the findings provide new insights for elucidating microbiota-mediated metabolites of green tea polyphenol, and their bidirectional interactions in the human gut. Full article

This study explored the impact of ethanol as a co-solvent in supercritical fluid extraction on the recovery of bioactive compounds from carrot seeds and assessed the resulting extracts for antimicrobial, α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory potential. Ethanol supplementation significantly improved extraction performance, with the yield increasing from 110 mg in the absence of ethanol to 134 mg at 5% ethanol, followed by a slight decrease to 132 mg at 10%. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed pronounced phytochemical enrichment at 5% ethanol, particularly for chlorogenic acid (1541.24 µg/g), gallic acid (1279.27 µg/g), and hesperetin (1513.68 µg/g), indicating enhanced recovery of phenolic and flavonoid constituents. The 5% ethanol extract demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity, producing inhibition zones of 19 mm against Enterococcus faecalis, 26 mm against Klebsiella pneumoniae, 25 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, and 29 mm against Candida albicans. Values of both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were markedly reduced, while antibiofilm activity reached 93.11% for E. faecalis and 91.00% for K. pneumoniae. The extract also exhibited potent inhibitory effects with IC₅₀ values of 7.74 and 13.37 µg/mL, against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, correspondingly, as well as strong butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 2.51 µg/mL), highlighting promising α-amylase/α-glucosidase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory potential. Molecular docking further supported these findings, showing that chlorogenic acid bound more strongly than vanillin to OmpK36, lysosomal acid-α-glucosidase, and butyrylcholinesterase, with docking scores ranging from −6.1 to −6.9 kcal/mol. These findings identify ethanol-modified supercritical fluid extraction as a sustainable and effective green strategy for improving the recovery of carrot seed bioactives and enhancing their multifunctional in vitro biological properties. Notably, this study provides the first comprehensive evidence that 5% ethanol modification selectively enriches key phenolic constituents, including chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and hesperetin, in carrot seed extracts, with corresponding enhancement of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Full article

Background: Momordica balsamina L. is widely used in traditional medicine for the management of diabetes in South Africa and globally. This study evaluated the in vitro antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects of M. balsamina leaf extracts and identified bioactive compounds potentially responsible for its activity. Methods: Leaves were sequentially extracted using solvents of increasing polarity. Phytochemical composition was determined using standard colorimetric assays, while gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed for compound identification. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using dot blot, DPPH radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and ferric reducing power assays. Antidiabetic potential was assessed using α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and β-glucosidase inhibitory assays, with acarbose as the reference drug. Cytotoxicity was determined by using the MTT assay on Vero and HEK-293 cell lines. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, and steroids. GC–MS analysis identified compounds associated with antidiabetic activity, including vanillin, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, oleic acid, phytol, and hexadecenoic acid. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, with the ethyl acetate extract showing the strongest effect. Enzyme inhibition was concentration dependent. The dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts showed stronger α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 0.149 and 0.146 mg/mL) than acarbose (0.209 mg/mL). For α-glucosidase, acarbose showed the highest activity, while extracts displayed moderate inhibition. In β-glucosidase assays, both extracts were more active than acarbose. Both extracts were non-cytotoxic up to 500 µg/mL. Conclusions: These findings support the traditional use of M. balsamina and highlight its potential as a safe source of antidiabetic agents, warranting further investigation. Full article

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) berries are rich in bioactive compounds, yet their efficient utilization is limited by conventional single-component extraction methods. This study developed a one-step ultrasound-assisted synchronous extraction (OUE) method to simultaneously recover polysaccharides and polyphenols and evaluate their physicochemical properties and bioactivities. OUE-extracted polyphenols (OUEP) and polysaccharides (OUES) showed significantly stronger antioxidant activity, with higher DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacities than conventionally extracted polyphenols (MPP) and hot water extraction followed by alcohol polysaccharides (HPS). FTIR analysis indicated similar polysaccharide backbones for OUES and HPS, while SEM revealed a more porous microstructure in OUES, and rheological measurements showed higher apparent viscosity, suggesting improved macromolecular interactions and functional behavior in food systems. Additionally, OUEP displayed strong α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (IC₅₀ = 25.85 ± 1.77 and 26.08 ± 0.11 mg/mL, respectively), highlighting their potential for glycemic control. These findings demonstrate that OUE not only enables efficient, simultaneous recovery of multiple bioactive components but also enhances their structural and functional properties, supporting the development of health-promoting food products and improving the utilization of blue honeysuckle berries. Full article

Brown seaweeds are recognized for their rich content of phlorotannins with promising antidiabetic properties through multi-targeted modulation of glucose metabolism. This study investigated the antidiabetic potential of the ethyl acetate fraction of Ecklonia cava (EC-ETAC) and its major phlorotannin, dieckol, focusing on inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, intestinal glucose absorption, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) activity, and hepatic glucose metabolism. EC-ETAC potently inhibited α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 2.2 ± 0.2 µg/mL) and α-amylase (IC₅₀ = 41.0 ± 1.2 µg/mL), outperforming acarbose by 26-fold and 6-fold, respectively. Pure dieckol showed strong activity with IC₅₀ values of 2.213 ± 0.04 µM (α-glucosidase) and 156.87 ± 0.124 µM (α-amylase). In differentiated Caco-2 cells, both EC-ETAC and dieckol downregulated SGLT1 and GLUT2 protein expression to ~0.5-fold of control and suppressed 2-NBDG glucose uptake by 46–53% over 120 min, effects not seen with acarbose. Dieckol inhibited DPP-IV activity (IC₅₀ = 12.12 ± 0.021 µM), reducing in situ activity to 53.89% at 25 µM without changing DPP-IV protein levels. Molecular docking revealed high-affinity binding of dieckol to DPP-IV (−10.396 kcal/mol), directly occluding the catalytic triad (Ser630, His740). In insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, dieckol restored glucose uptake to 108.97% of control via AMPK activation (1.21-fold), GLUT2 normalization (0.84-fold), and PGC-1α recalibration (0.96-fold), matching or surpassing 1 mM metformin. These results demonstrate dual-inhibition mechanism combined with hepatic AMPK restoration, establishing dieckol as a promising marine-derived multi-targeted agent for T2DM management. Full article