Bioactive peptides with antidiabetic properties: a review

Diabetes mellitus is a complex disorder characterised by insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance. Disease incidence is accumulating at a rapidly increasing rate, resulting in a considerable social, health and economic burden in the modern world. Bioactive peptides show significant potential for use in health management strategies, particularly as components of drugs and functional foods for diabetes treatment. Many antidiabetic bioactive peptides have been isolated and validated. The aim of this review was to update the state of knowledge of the origin, structural characteristics and action. Additionally, the potential mechanisms of bioactive peptides on key enzymes and proteins, such as alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, glucagon-like peptides and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV, that participate in glycaemic level control from the intake of carbohydrates to blood glucose regulation were overviewed. This knowledge should facilitate research and industrial efforts to better understand and evaluate the potential of bioactive peptides with antidiabetic properties for blood glucose level management.