Fruit plant leaves as an underexplored source of bioactive compounds: Enzyme inhibitory potential of aqueous extracts

Title : Fruit plant leaves as an underexplored source of bioactive compounds: Enzyme inhibitory potential of aqueous extracts

Abstract:

Fruit plant leaves, commonly regarded as agricultural by-products, represent an underexplored yet promising source of bioactive compounds with potential health-promoting properties. In particular, they are known to contain significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds, which may contribute to a range of biological activities, including the inhibition of key digestive enzymes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the inhibitory properties of aqueous extracts obtained from the leaves of selected fruit plants, namely blackberry, wild strawberry, sour cherry, and guelder rose (Viburnum opulus). The extracts were tested for their ability to inhibit key digestive enzymes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase.

The analyzed extracts inhibited the activity of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism in a concentration-dependent manner. Blackberry leaf extract demonstrated the strongest inhibitory activity against both α-amylase and α-glucosidase, indicating its high potential for modulating carbohydrate digestion. However, none of the extracts tested exhibited lipase-inhibiting activity. The observed activity can be attributed to the presence of polyphenolic compounds, which are known to interact with digestive enzymes and influence their activity. These results highlight the potential of fruit plant leaves as a sustainable and economical source of natural enzyme inhibitors. From a food technology perspective, such extracts could be further explored as functional ingredients in the development of foods that support postprandial glycemia control.

Funding: This research was supported by Polish National Science Centre grant no. 2023/07/X/NZ9/00112

Biography:

Marzena Pabich holds a Ph.D. in Food Technology and Nutrition from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland. Her research sits at the interface of food chemistry and phytochemistry, with a focus on the bioactive potential of diverse plant-derived materials, including fruits, leaves, and various food products. In her work, she focuses on the application of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) for phenolic compound profiling, enabling comprehensive characterization of complex plant matrices. In her work, she also employs a range of spectrophotometric methods to assess antioxidant activity and to evaluate the inhibitory potential of plant extracts against key digestive enzymes, including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase. She actively participates in research projects aimed at exploring the health-promoting properties of plant-derived extracts. Her findings have direct implications for food science, nutraceutical development, and human health.