Blood glucose-lowering activity of protocatechuic acid is mediated by inhibiting a-glucosidase

α-Glucosidase inhibitors are effective in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia,which play crucial roles in the management of type 2 diabetes.Protocatechuic acid(PCA)is one of phenolic acids existing not only in various plant foods but also as a major microbial metabolite of dietary anthocyanins in the large colon.The present study investigated the inhibitory mechanism of PCA on a-glucosidase in vitro and examined its effect on postprandial blood glucose levels in vivo.Results from in vitro experiments demonstrated that PCA was a mix-type inhibitor of a-glucosidase.Driven by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions,PCA reversibly bound withα-glucosidase to form a stable a-glucosidase-PCA complex in a spontaneous manner.The computational simulation found that PCA could insert into the active cavity of a-glucosidase and establish hydrogen bonds with catalytic amino acid residues.PCA binding aroused the steric hindrance for substrates to enter active sites and caused the structural changes of interacted catalytic amino acid residues.PCA also exhibited postprandial hypoglycemic capacity in diabetic mice.This study may provide the theoretical basis for the application of PCA as an active ingredient of functional foods in dietary management of diabetes.

Antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of saponin extracts from walnut(Juglans regia L.) leaves

Objective:To investigate the relationship between triterpenoid saponin content and antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 70%ethanolic,butanolic,aqueous,supernate and precipitate extracts of Juglans regia leaves.Methods:Triterpenoid saponins of different Juglans regia leaf extracts were measured by the vanillin method.Antioxidant activity was evaluated against DPPH and ABTS free radicals.We also assessed α-glucosidase inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of the leaf extracts.Pearson’s correlation coefficient was evaluated to determine the correlation between the saponin content and biological activities.Results:The butanolic extract was most effective against DPPH with an IC50of 6.63μg/mL,while the aqueous extract showed the highest scavenging activity against ABTS free radical with an IC50of 42.27μg/mL.Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated a strong negative correlation (r=-0.956) between DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50) and the saponin content in the samples examined.In addition,the aqueous extract showed the best α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared with other extracts.All the extracts had fair antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis,Escherichia coli,and Klebsiella pneumoniae except for the aqueous extract.Conclusions:Juglans regia extracts show potent antioxidant,antimicrobial,and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.There is a correlation between saponin levels in Juglans regia leaf extracts and the studied activities.However,additional research is required to establish these relationships by identifying the specific saponin molecules responsible for these activities and elucidating their mechanisms of action.

Ethanol extract of Annona muricata Linn fruit perform antidiabetic effect on type 2 diabetic mice through α-glucosidase inhibition

Objective:To explore the anti-diabetic effects and its underlying mechanism of Annona muricata Linn fruit ethanol extract(AME).Methods:Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic(T2DM)mouse model was constructed.Those diabetic mice were randomly grouped and given 50 mg/kg acarbose or AME(200 mg/kg,100 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg)for four weeks.The body weight,postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were measured during the administration.After the administration,a glucose tolerance test was performed,and the levels of triglycerides,cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins in mice were detected by biochemical test kits.The inhibitory activity of AME onα-glucosidase in vivo and in vitro was determined by enzyme inhibition tests.Results:AME significantly reduced weight gain,postprandial blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin and low-density lipoprotein levels in T2DM mice;enhanced glucose tolerance and pancreaticβ-cell function of T2DM mice;inhibitedα-glucosidase activity in mouse intestine in an noncompetitive manner.Conclusion:AME may noncompetitive inhibitα-glucosidase activity and reduce postprandial glucose intake to achieve a therapeutic and regulatory effect on type 2 diabetes.

Inhibitory activities of microalgal fucoxanthin againstα-amylase,α-glucosidase, and glucose oxidase in 3T3-L1cells linked to type 2 diabetes

Postprandial hyperglycemia is an early indication of type 2 diabetes and the target of many anti-diabetic and anti-obesity studies.α-Glucosidase and α-amylase are the crucial factors in regulating starch digestion and glucose absorption,making them key targets for many studies to treat postprandial hyperglycemia.We studied the inhibitory activities of microalgal fucoxanthin against rat-intestinalα-glucosidase and pancreaticα-amylase along with the antidiabetic eff ect to induce diff erentiation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes using Oil Red-O staining.Fucoxanthin displayed strong hindrance activities towardα-amylase in a concentration-dependent manner,with an IC50 value of 0.68mmol/L,whereas weak inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase,with an IC 50 value of 4.75 mmol/L.Fucoxanthin also considerably elevated glucose oxidase activity in 3T3-L1 cells by 31.3%at 5μmol/L.During adipocyte differentiation,fucoxanthin showed lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells with no cytotoxicity up to 20μmol/L.However,fucoxanthin had no inhibitory activity on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.These results suggest that fucoxanthin might be useful for the prevention of obesity or diabetes by inhibiting carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes and lipid accumulation and be utilized as an ingredient for a functional food or dietary supplement.

Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitor activities of natural compounds isolated from Quercus gilva Blume leaves

Objective: To isolate and investigate antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitor compounds in the leaves of Quercus gilva Blume(Q. gilva).Methods: Dry leaves of Q. gilva were extracted with methanol and the methanolic extract was further separated by silica gel column chromatography using several solvents with increasing polarity. The antioxidant activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated using various in vitro assays: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching assay, and reducing power assay. The α-glucosidase inhibitory assay was conducted against α-glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Results: Three compounds were isolated and their structures were identii ed as catechin(1), epicatechin(2), and tiliroside(3) using an instrumental analysis. Compound 2 had higher antioxidant activity with inhibitory concentrations(IC50) of(22.55 ± 2.23) μmol/L than that of quercetin, which was used as the standard, with an IC50 of(28.08 ± 2.39) μmol/L, followed by compound 1 with IC50 of(40.86 ± 3.45) μmol/L. On the other hand, compound 3 had the lowest antioxidant activity with an IC50 of(160.24 ± 8.15) μmol/L. However, compound 3 had the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 of(28.36 ± 0.11) μmol/L, followed by compounds 1 and 2 with(168.60 ± 5.15) and(920.60 ± 10.10) μmol/L, respectively.Conclusions: The results obtained for the antioxidant activities and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities in a methanolic extract from the leaves of Q. gilva coni rmed the potential of this plant as a source of natural antioxidants and antidiabetic medicine.

α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Lutein and Zeaxanthin Purified from Green Alga Chlorella ellipsoidea

α-Glucosidase inhibitors are used therapeutically to treat type-2 diabetes mellitus. Through a bioassay-guided fractionation technique, three carotenoids,(all-E)-lutein,(all-E)-zeaxanthin and(9-Z)-zeaxanthin, were purified from the green alga Chlorella ellipsoidea, in which(all-E)-lutein and(9-Z)-zeaxanthin had potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. IC_(50) values of(all-E)-lutein and(9-Z)-zeaxanthin were 70 and 53.5 μmol L^(-1) against Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase, respectively, with non-competitive inhibition. In addition, IC_(50) values of(9-Z)-zeaxanthin against Bacillus stearothermophilus and rat-intestinal α-glucosidase were 805.1 and 671.2 μmol L^(-1), respectively. The K_i values of(all-E)-lutein and(9-Z)-zeaxanthin against S. cerevisiae α-glucosidase were 78.1 and 16.5 μmol L^(-1), respectively. Therefore, C. ellipsoidea carotenoids might be utilized as a novel candidate to prevent type-2 diabetes mellitus related disorders in food and medical industry.

Screening ofα-glucosidase inhibitors in large-leaf yellow tea by offline bioassay coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Larger-leaf yellow tea(LYT)is a characteristic type of Chinese tea produced in Huoshan County,Anhui Province,which is made by mature leaves with stems.According to recent report,LYT showed competitive effects in anti-hyperglycemia in comparison to other teas such as green or black tea.However,the bioactive compounds of LYT are still undiscovered so far.For this purpose,5 fractions of LYT were prepared by sequential extraction.The in vitro bioassay results indicated that the ethyl acetate fraction of LYT had the strongest inhibitory effects onα-glucosidase andα-amylase.Fluorescence-quenching analysis and proteinbinding test revealed that the compounds of ethyl acetate fraction could inhibitα-glucosidase andα-amylase activities through binding to enzymes or other mechanisms.All chromatographic peaks of high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)of ethyl acetate fraction were separated and collected.The purified compounds were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS),and subsequently screened by calculating their inhibition ratio onα-glucosidase at the real concentration in LYT infusion.The results showed that(-)-epigallocatechin gallate,(-)-gallocatechin gallate,caffeine,N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone-substituted flavan-3-ols were effective inhibitors forα-glucosidase.

Antioxidant andα-glucosidase inhibitiory activity of Cercis chinensis flowers

Antioxidant andα-glucosidase inhibitiory active compounds of Cercis chinensis flowers were investigated with bio-assay guiding method.Ethyl acetate fraction(CLEa)and n-butanol fraction(CLBu)exhibited antioxidant andα-glucosidase inhibitiory activity in vitro,and the corresponding active fractions,EaFr.3,EaFr.5 and BuFr.1,exhibited higher antioxidant andα-glucosidase inhibitiory activity than those of other fractions.Eight compounds,ethyl gallate(1),stearic acid(2),docosanoic acid(3),5α-stigmast-9(11)-en-3β-ol(4),kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside(5),vanillic acid(6),fisetin(7),andβ-sitosterol(8),were isolated and identified from CLEa and CLBu.Ethyl gallate shown the highest antioxidant activity by scavenging DPPH radical and reducing ferric compared.Docosanoic acid and vanillic acid shown strongerα-glucosidase inhibitory activity than that of acarbose.

Chemical Constituents from Turnip and Their Effects on α-Glucosidase

Brassica rapa var.rapa(turnip)is an important crop in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)with anti-hypoxic effect.Turnip is rich in glucosinolates,isothiocyanates and phenolic compounds with diverse biological activities,involving anti-oxidant,anti-tumor,anti-diabetic,anti-inflammatory,anti-microbial,hypolipidemic,cardioprotective,hepatoprotective,nephroprotective and analgesic properties.In this study,the ethyl acetate(EtOAc)and butanol parts of Brassica rapa were first revealed with inhibitory effects onα-glucosidase,whereas the water part was inactive.Subsequent bioassay-guided isolation on the EtOAc and butanol parts yielded 12 compounds,involving three indole derivatives,indole-3-acetonitrile(1)4-methoxyindole-3-acetonitrile(2)and indole-3-aldehyde(3)two flavonoids,liquiritin(4)and licochalcone A(5)two phenylpropanoids,sinapic acid(6)and caffeic acid(7)two phenylethanol glycosides,2-phenylethylβ-glucopyranoside(8)and salidroside(9)and three other compounds,syringic acid(10)adenosine(11)and(3β,20E)-ergosta-5,20(22)-dien-3-ol(12)Licochalcone A(5)and caffeic acid(7)showedα-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 62.4±8.0μM and 162.6±3.2μM,comparable to the positive control,acarbose(IC 50=142±0.02μM).Docking study suggested that licochalcone A(5)could well align in the active site ofα-glucosidase(docking score=-52.88)by forming hydrogen bonds(Gln1372,Asp1420,Gln1372,Arg1510),hydrophobic effects(Tyr1251,Tyr1251,Trp1355,Phe1560,Ile1587,Trp1355,Phe1559,Phe1559)andπ-πstacking interaction(Trp1355).This study provides valuable information for turnip as a new resource in searching anti-diabetic candidates.

α-Glucosidase inhibitors isolated from medicinal plants

Objective:α-Glucosidase inhibitors can be used as a new class of antidiabetic drug.By competitively inhibiting glycosidase activity,these inhibitors help to prevent the fast breakdown of sugars and thereby control the blood sugar level.This study provides a wealth of information aboutα-glucosidase inhibitors isolated from medicinal plants;this knowledge will be useful in finding more potent antidiabetic candidates from the natural resources for the clinical development of antidiabetic therapeutics.Results:411 compounds exhibitingα-glucosidase inhibitory activity were summarized and isolated them from medicinal plants.The compound classes isolated include:terpenes(61)from 14 genus,alkaloids(37)from 11 genus,quinines(49)from 4 genus,flavonoids(103)from 24 genus,phenols(37)from 9 genus,phenylpropanoids(73)from 20 genus,sterides(8)from 5 genus,and other types of compounds(43).Conclusion:Compounds withα-glucosidase inhibitory activity are abundant in nature and can be obtained from several sources.They have highα-glucosidase inhibitory potential,and can be clinically developed for treating diabetes mellitus.

Identification of α-glucosidase inhibitors from Clinacanthus nutans leaf extract using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and protein-ligand interaction with molecular docking

The present study used in vitro and in silico techniques, as well as the metabolomics approach to characterise α-glucosidase inhibitors from different fractions of Clinacanthus nutans. C. nutans is a medicinal plant belonging to the Acanthaceae family, and is traditionally used to treat diabetes in Malaysia. nHexane, n-hexane: ethyl acetate(1:1, v/v), ethyl acetate, ethyl acetate: methanol(1:1, v/v), and methanol fractions were obtained via partitioning of the 80% methanolic crude extract. The in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was analyzed using all the fractions collected, followed by profiling of the metabolites using liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The partial least square(PLS) statistical model was developed using the SIMCA P^+14.0 software and the following four inhibitors were obtained:(1) 4,6,8-Megastigmatrien-3-one;(2) N-Isobutyl-2-nonen-6,8-diynamide;(3) 1′,2′-bis(acetyloxy)-3′,4′-didehydro-2′-hydro-β, ψ-carotene; and(4) 22-acetate-3-hydroxy-21-(6-methyl-2,4-octadienoate)-olean-12-en-28-oic acid. The in silico study performed via molecular docking with the crystal structure of yeast isomaltase(PDB code: 3 A4 A) involved a hydrogen bond and some hydrophobic interactions between the inhibitors and protein. The residues that interacted include ASN259, HID295, LYS156, ARG335,and GLY209 with a hydrogen bond, while TRP15, TYR158, VAL232, HIE280, ALA292, PRO312, LEU313,VAL313, PHE314, ARG315, TYR316, VAL319, and TRP343 with other forms of bonding.

Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. fruit extracts on α-glucosidase enzyme,glucose diffusion and wound healing activities

Objective:To provide in vitro evidence for antidiabetic activity through potential inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme,glucose diffusion and enhancement in the wound healing using methanolic extract and fractions from Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn.fruit.Methods:The inhibitory action of methanolic extract and fractions of such fruit on aglucosidase enzyme and glucose movement through in vitro assay assessment was reported.Their activities on wound healing were tested using the scratch assay.Results:Ethyl acetate fraction at 50 mg/m L concentration exhibited significant aglucosidase inhibition(95.79 mg/m L) with P < 0.05.At the same concentration,the methanolic extract as well as other fractions revealed lower α-glucosidase inhibition and higher glucose diffusion retardation across the dialysis tube than the control.Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions displayed notably higher glucose diffusion inhibitory activity of 5.21 mmol/L and 5.2 mmol/L,respectively as compared to methanolic extract and n-hexane fraction of 6.58 mmol/L and 6.49 mmol/L,respectively.Conversely,compared to other fractions the methanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction manifested proliferative effect at the incubation time of 6 h during the wound healing study.Conclusions:It is established that methanolic extract and fractions from H.sabdariffa Linn.fruit can inhibit the α-glucosidase enzyme and glucose movement as well as influence the wound healing activity positively.

Evaluation of bioactive flavonoids in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium from different regions and its association with antioxidant andα-glucosidase inhibitory activities

Background:To explore the differences of 14 batches of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium from different regions.Methods:The main aim of this study was to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography method-photodiode array detection for determining the contents of five flavonoids and the chromatographic fingerprints of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium from different regions.Theα-glucosidase inhibitory activities and antioxidant properties of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,based on free-radical scavenging assays against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid),and hydroxyl radicals,were estimated and compared.Results:Among the tested compounds,the content of hesperidin(13.386-68.235 mg/g)was the highest and that of hesperitin(0.045-0.277 mg/g)was the lowest.In comparing different sources of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,the contents of narirutin in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium from Guangdong(0.824-0.851 mg/g)and Sichuan(1.069-1.204 mg/g)provinces of China were lower than in other provinces.In contrast,nobiletin(8.429-12.237 mg/g)and tangeretin(3.947-4.613 mg/g)were most abundant in Guangdong sources of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,followed by samples from Sichuan Province(nobiletin:6.761-7.658 mg/g;tangeretin:3.422-3.933 mg/g).Correlation analysis showed that nobiletin and tangeretin were the main contributors to the antioxidant capacity,and narirutin was the main active component inhibiting theα-glucosidase activity of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium.Conclusion:This work revealed that the intrinsic quality of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium was affected by different growing regions,which provides a scientific basis for controlling the quality of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium and rationally developing and utilizing Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium.

Bioactive constituents from the leaves of Quercus phillyraeoides A.Gray for-glucosidase inhibitor activity with concurrent antioxidant activity

Severalα-glucosidase inhibitory constituents were isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves of Quercus phillyraeoides A.Gray(Q.phillyraeoides)using a bioassay-guided fractionation technique.Further separation and purification of the methanol-soluble fraction led to the isolation of constituents with moderate and strong inhibitory activities againstα-glucosidase:α-sitosterol-d-glucoside(1)and condensed tannin fractions(2,3,4,5,and 6).Compound 1 and fractions 2-6 had inhibitory concentration(IC50)values againstm-glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae of 118.8,2.79,2.78,3.10,2.60,and 3.14μg/mL,respectively,while quercetin as the standard had an IC50 value of 4.80mg/mL.Furthermore,the significant antioxidant activities were evaluated using several assays,such as the DPPH radical scavenging,hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging,reducing power,andβ-carotene-linoleate bleaching assays,and the results suggested that the isolated constituents showed their possible application for treating the hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress.The results of the present study showed the potential of Q.phillyraeoides as a rich source of natural antidiabetic medicine.

Oleuropein-Specific-β-Glucosidase Activity Marks the Early Response of Olive Fruits (Olea europaea) to Mimed Insect Attack

Olive fruits are seriously deteriorated by pre and postharvest damage due to the attack of insects, such as Bactrocera olaea, which strongly alters the quality of olives. Defence response in olive fruits injured both by pathogens and by mechanical damages has been associated with the enzyme β-glucosidase, which specifically hydrolyses oleuropein, producing highly reactive aldehyde molecules. In situ detection of ^-glucosidase activity in olive fruit tissues following injury, which simulates Bactrocera oleae punctures, is reported. The assay was performed in two cultivars showing different degrees of susceptibilities to fly infestation. In both cultivars, the histochemical assay for β-glucosidase showed that within 20 min after the injury, a strong ^-glucosidase activity could be observed in the damaged tissues. Thereafter a progressive enzyme inactivation occurred starting from tissues around the boundary of the injury with decrease of the enzyme activity and stopped after 3 h. Whereas the mass of active cells reached a distance of （300±50） μm from the edge of the injury. Biochemical analyses showed that in extracts of the injured fruit, β-glucosidase activity rapidly increased within 20 min from injury, thereafter decreasing and reaching values comparable with those in intact fruits. Following puncture, the oleuropein contents did not change significantly in the high susceptibility cultivar, whereas it rapidly decreased in the cultivar showing low susceptibility. The results strongly suggest that olive fruits susceptible towards fly infestation could be related to the ability of the oleuropein-degrading-β-glucosidase to produce the highly reactive molecules in the damaged tissues. As a consequence of puncture, high level of peroxidase activity was detected. This feature also suggested that this enzyme could play a key role in the defence response against insect injuries.

Efficiency of Oryza punctata extract on glucose regulation: Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities

Red rice(Oryza punctata) is a type of unpolished rice which has higher nutritional value compared to white rice or even polished rice. Owing to higher nutritive content and metabolites, dieticians strongly advise red rice for peoples with metabolic disorders including diabetics. However, the mechanism of action and contents of secondary metabolites in Indian red rice variety not reported scientifically. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate its mechanism of action through inhibitory effect of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Initially, the whole grain of red rice was macerated with methanol at room temperature for 2 weeks. Then, the dried and powdered, samples at different concentrationfi(2.5, 10, 40, and 80 μg/m L) were employed to nd out in vitro inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In addition, an enzyme kinetics of effective extract was calculated by Line-weaver Burk(LWB) plot analysis. Moreover,the valuable metabolites in the efficient methanolic extract were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The results demonstrated that red rice methanolic extract(RRMEt) possess strong inhibitory activity onα-amylase and α-glucosidase compared with acarbose(P < 0.01). The IC50 values of RRMEt was found to be 29.7 ±7.43 μg/m L for α-amylase and 20.4 ± 0.25 μg/m L for α-glucosidase. LWB indicated that RRMEt is an uncompetitive inhibitor. Further, HPLC analysis revealed protocatechuic acid, catechin, and chlorogenic acids were more abundant in RRMEt among the fourteen metabolites. We conclude, the efficiency of enzyme inhibition through the influence of phenolic compounds in RRMEt.

α-Glucosidase inhibitor produced by an endophytic fungus, Xylariaceae sp. QGS 01 from Quercus gilva Blume

Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01,an endophytic fungus isolated from the stem of Quercus gilva Blume showed high-glucosidase inhibitory activity.α-Glucosidase inhibitor have the role as one of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes to postpone absorption of glucose in the digestive organs.The α-glucosidase inhibitor constituents were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the mycellium of endophytic fungi Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01 using a bioassay-guided fractionation technique.Further separation and purification of the active fraction led to the isolation of constituents with strong inhibitory activities against-glucosidase:8-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-3-methylisocoumarine(1)with inhibitory concentration(IC50)values against-glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae of 41.75μg/mL,while quercetin as the standard had an IC50 value of 4.80g/mL.The results of the present study showed that the endophytic fungus Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01 is potentially a rich source of antidiabetic medicine.

Polymorphism in the Ras andβ-Glucosidase Genes and Their Association with Growth Traits in the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas

The Ras gene,a conserved member of the insulin pathway,andβ-glucosidase gene,an important cellulase,are two important growth-related genes.However,there is no study on the association between mutations of these two genes and growth traits in bivalves.Here,the polymorphism of these two genes in Crassostrea gigas were revealed.Their association with growth traits was evaluated in 290 oysters from five families,and was further confirmed in another 186 oysters from three fast-growing strains.Seventeen and twelve SNPs were identified in the Ras gene andβ-glucosidase gene,respectively.Among these SNPs,four SNPs in each gene(Ras:C.86C>A,C.90T>C,C.112A>G and C.118G>A;β-glucosidase:C.247G>A,C.284C>T,C.1260C>T and C.1293T>C)were significantly(P<0.05)associated with the growth of these oysters.Furthermore,eight and nine haplotypes were constructed in the Ras gene andβ-glucosidase gene,respectively.Oysters with both haplotypes R-Hap5(CCAA)andβ-Hap7(ACCT),or with both R-Hap 6(ATGG)andβ-Hap 6(ACTC),or with both R-Hap 6 andβ-Hap 9(ACTT),or with both R-Hap 7(ATAA)andβ-Hap 7,showed the highest growth performances.These results provide candidate markers for selecting C.gigas with fast growth.

Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities by ethanolic extract of Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) leaf

Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effect of Telfairia occidentalis Hook f.(Curcubitaceae)(T.occidentalis)leaf on key enzyme linked to type-2 diabetes(α-amylase andα-glucosidase)as well as assess the effect of blanching(a commonly practiced food processing technique)of the vegetable on these key enzymes.Methods:Fresh leaves of T.occidentalis were blanched in hot water for 10 minutes,and the extracts of both the fresh and blanched vegetables were prepared and used for subsequent analysis.The inhibitory effect of the extract onα-amylase andα-glucosidase activities as well as some antioxidant parameter was determined in vitro.Results:The result revealed that unprocessed T.occidentalis leaf reduce Fe^(3+)to Fe^(2+)and also inhibitedα-amylase andα-glucosidase activities in a dose dependent manner.However,blanching of the leafy vegetables caused a significant(P<0.05)increase in the antioxidant properties but decrease their ability to inhibitα-amylase andα-glucosidase activities.Conclusions:This antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibition could be part of the mechanism by which they are used in the treatment/prevention of type-2 diabetes.However,the blanched vegetable reduces their ability to inhibit bothα-amylase andα-glucosidase activity in vitro.

Antioxidant and ɑ-glucosidase activities and phytochemical constituents of Chrysanthoglossum trifurcatum(Desf.)

Objective: To investigate the antioxidant and ɑ-glucosidase properties and phytochemical constituents of roots, stems, leaves and flowers extracts and aerial parts oil of Chrysanthoglossum trifurcatum(Desf.)(C. trifurcatum). Methods: For extraction from roots, stems, leaves and flowers of C. trifurcatum, methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether solvents were used. Phenols, flavonoids, flavonols and tannins contents were evaluated. More, C. trifurcatum aerial parts oil composition was determined using chromatography/mass spectrometry. The antioxidant effect was estimated by DPPH, ABTS and reducing power test systems. The ɑ-glucosidase inhibition was determined by colorimetric assay using the enzyme from Aspergillus niger and the p-nitrophenyl glucopyranoside(pNPG) as substrate. Results: The highest amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols and tannins were shown by the methanolic extract of leaves. The main components of the aerial parts oil were limonene(29.21%), γ-terpinene(12.96%), 4-terpenyl acetate(12.18%) and ɑ-pinene(5.76%). The activity evaluated by DPPH, ABTS and reducing power tests was important for stems(IC_(50)=0.68 mg/mL) and flowers(IC_(50)=0.67 mg/mL) methanolic extracts and essential oil(IC_(50)=0.72 mg/mL). Findings of ɑ-glucosidase activity revealed that petroleum ether extracts of leaves and roots together with aerial parts oil showed a highest activity with IC_(50) of 0.044, 0.045 and 0.049 mg/m L, respectively. Conclusions: Observed antioxidant and ɑ-glucosidase activities of oil and extracts are attributed to the presence of the active phytochemicals in C. trifurcatum organs. Thus, the C. trifurcatum can be used as a source of antioxidant compounds and dietary supplement to treat patients with type 2 diabetes.