Inhibitory effect of chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) inner skin extract on the activity of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV and in vitro digestibility of starches

This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of chestnut inner skin extract (CISE) on the activity of postprandial blood sugar-related enzymes. In total, 12 flavonoids were identified by HPLC-TOF-MS. CISE showed strong and weak inhibition on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, with the IC50 of 27.2 and 2.3 mu g/mL, respectively. The inhibition modes of CISE against alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase were mixed-type and non-competitive type, respectively. Epicatechin gallate noncompetitively inhibited alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). Analysis by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism suggested that flavonoids altered the hydrophobicity and microenvironment of these enzymes. CISE decreased the starch bioavailability by reducing the enzymatic hydrolysis rate and increasing the fraction of undigested starch. The extract reduced the rapidly digestible starch and increased the resistant starch after incorporation into A-, B- or C- crystallinity starch. Thus, the chestnut inner skin is a useful resource for regulating postprandial blood sugar level.