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Inhibition of Key Enzymes Linked to Obesity by Preparations From Mediterranean Dietary Plants: Effects on α-Amylase and Pancreatic Lipase Activities

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Abstract

One of the most important strategy in the treatment of obesity includes the development of nutrient digestion and absorption inhibitors. Inhibition of digestive enzymes is one of the most widely studied mechanisms used to determine the potential efficacy of natural products as hypolipidemic and hypoglycaemic agents. In vitro studies here reported were performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of five species (as hydroalcoholic extracts) of edible plants from Calabria region (Italy) on amylase and lipase by monitoring the hydrolysis of p-NPC and the hydrolysis of glycoside bonds in digestible carbohydrate foods. The formulation obtained from Clematis vitalba L. exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 0.99 mg/ml) and on α-amylase (IC50 = 31.52 μg/ml). In order to explore metabolome production HPTLC analysis of the extracts was performed, revealing the predominance of (±)-catechin, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid in C. vitalba formulation at concentration of 23.18 ± 3.14, 13.63 ± 0.65 and 18.88 ± 0.76 mg/g, respectively. GC/MS analysis was used to identify fatty acids and terpene composition.

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Abbreviations

HPTLC:

High performance thin layer chromatography

NPC:

Nitrophenyl caprilate

GC-MS:

Gas-chromatography/mass spectroscopic

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 8736, Rende, CS, Italy

    Mariangela Marrelli, Monica Rosa Loizzo, Francesco Menichini & Filomena Conforti

  2. Department of Environmental Biology, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Marcello Nicoletti

Authors
  1. Mariangela Marrelli
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  2. Monica Rosa Loizzo
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  3. Marcello Nicoletti
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  4. Francesco Menichini
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  5. Filomena Conforti
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Correspondence to Filomena Conforti.

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Marrelli, M., Loizzo, M.R., Nicoletti, M. et al. Inhibition of Key Enzymes Linked to Obesity by Preparations From Mediterranean Dietary Plants: Effects on α-Amylase and Pancreatic Lipase Activities. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 68, 340–346 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-013-0390-9

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