14E-24 |
Inhibitory effect of clonal oregano extracts against porcine pancreatic amylase |
P. P. MCCUE and K. Shetty. Dept. of Food Science, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, Chenoweth Bldg., Box 31410, Amherst, MA 01003-1410 Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a rich source of phenolic antioxidants which has potential as a source of nutritional ingredients for functional foods. Herbs such as oregano have long been used in traditional medicine and food preservation in the treatment of common ailments and have potential for positive modulation of oxidation-linked diseases such as diabetes. One of the potentially important components of oregano phenolic antioxidant support of diabetes management is through mild amylase inhibition. Our objective was to investigate the effect of 50% ethanol extracts of eleven phenolic antioxidant-rich oregano clonal lines on the activity of porcine pancreatic amylase (PPA) as a model system. To this end, we analyzed total soluble phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method, antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, and PPA-inhibitory activity by incubation of the enzyme with clonal oregano extracts and characterization of the activity of the phenolic-bound enzyme. Our results suggest that clonal oregano extracts inhibited the activity of porcine pancreatic amylase, but that the inhibitory activity was independent of antioxidant activity. PPA was inhibited 14.5% by the clonal line with the highest phenolic content, but was actually increased 64.5% by an equivalent amount of BHT. The highest clonal oregano DPPH scavenging activity was 48%, whereas for BHT and Trolox standards, it was 81% and 96%, respectively. The finding that clonal oregano extracts can inhibit porcine pancreatic amylase supports a potential new functionality for oregano. This provides an opportunity for a food-based strategy for modulation of starch metabolism which in excess is linked to oxidation diseases such as diabetes.
Session 14E, Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods: General I
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