Anti-Microbiological, Anti-Hyperglycemic and Anti-Obesity Potency of Natural Antioxidants in Fruit Fractions of Saskatoon Berry

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to evaluate for content of phytochemicals (monophosphate nucleotides, free amino acids, polyphenols), and for anti-microbiological, anti-diabetic (ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase), and antioxidant activities in seven selected fruit and fruit fractions of Amelanchier alnifolia. Most of the fruit and fruit fractions analyzed in this study have not been examined in this respect until now. The content of monophosphate nucleotides and free amino acids were tested by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS). The distribution of the examined compounds and biological activity differed significantly depending on the tested fruit and parts of the fruit. Cultivars “Smoky” and “Thiessen” had a high content of essential free amino acids, monophosphate nucleotides, and the highest antioxidant activity. They were also accountable for the high ability to inhibit Enterococcus hirae (anti-bacterial activity), of activity toward α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase. Moreover, the fruit peel was abundant in polyphenolic compounds and showed the highest antioxidative activity, which were strongly correlated with each other. In addition, the peel was characterized by a high concentration of monophosphate nucleotides, free amino acids, and were responsible above all for the strong ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase enzymes contributing to the development of obesity. The seeds were rich in uridine 5’-monophosphate, and total essential and non-essential free amino acids, whose contents correlated with the inhibitory activity toward α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The fruit flesh showed a high content of total free amino acids (hydroxy-L-proline, O-phosphoethanolamine, L-citruline). There was a positive correlation between antioxidant capacity and the content of polyphenolic compounds, nucleotide, and ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase, and between anti-hyperglycemic and free amino acids in fruits and fruit fractions. Therefore, the tested fruit of A. alnifolia and their fractions could be essential ingredients of new functional products and/or probiotic food.

Saskatoon Berry Amelanchier alnifolia Regulates Glucose Metabolism and Improves Cardiovascular and Liver Signs of Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

“…In rats fed a high-fat, high-sucrose diet with 5% Saskatoon berry powder for 15 weeks, there was a reduced Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio relative to the high-fat, high-sucrose control rats [20]. The fruit peel from Saskatoon berry was abundant in polyphenol compounds and showed the highest anti-oxidative activity [36]. Additionally, Saskatoon berry had anti-microbial, anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-obesity properties.…”

Health-Promoting Capacities of In Vitro and Cultivated Goji (Lycium chinense Mill.) Fruit and Leaves; Polyphenols, Antimicrobial Activity, Macro- and Microelements and Heavy Metals

“…1 cultivar. The results obtained in this study were compared to the results of Lachowicz et al [28] in saskatoon berries (L* from −32.71 to 49.31) and Kruczek et al [6] in goji berries (L* from −32.6 to 72.3). However, the goji fruit examined by Kruczek and Ochmian [3] and the highbush blueberries examined by Ochmian et al [30] were darker than in our own research.…”

“…The inhibition of these enzymes may be effective for regulating type 2 diabetes by controlling the absorption of glucose [35]. Both α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in fruits such as pomegranate, strawberry, raspberry, pear, kiwi, plum, lingonberry, black currant, and blueberry extracts has been confirmed in other studies [16,28,31,35]. Inhibition of these enzymes is specifically useful in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes, as it slows down glucose release into the bloodstream [31].…”

The impact of cultivation systems on the nutritional and phytochemical content, and microbiological contamination of highbush blueberry

“…The content of polymeric procyanidins is strongly correlated with the inhibitory activity towards α-amylase and α-glucosidase 53,54 . Proanthocyanidin-rich blueberry cultivar extracts had the lowest IC 50 value (25.0 mg/ mL), suggesting a high α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory potential 55 .…”

“…Extraction procedure and identification of polyphenol compounds. Three replicates of 1000 g randomly chosen blueberries were kept frozen in polyethylene bags at − 65 °C until analysis, then prepared according to the methodology of Lachowicz et al 54 . The fruits were extracted with methanol acidified with 2.0% formic acid.…”