Young apple polyphenols postpone starch digestion in vitro and in vivo

Type II diabetes is largely related with hyperglycemia that can be controlled through inhibition the activities of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes by dietary polyphenols. This study aims to explore the effects of young apple polyphenols (YAP) on starch digestion in vitro and in vivo by acute and 1-week intervention administrations using mice. It was found that YAP was able to inhibit the starch digestive enzymes including α-amylase and α-glucosidase, in which tannic acid and chlorogenic acid showed inhibition on α-amylase, and tannic acid and phlorizin showed inhibition on α-glucosidase. In addition, the levels of postprandial blood glucose and insulin were lowered by around 10% at a peak for the mice fed with combination of starch and YAP than that only fed with starch, which was observed for acute and 1-week administrations. Taken together, YAP may have potentials as a functional food in assisting prevention and alleviation of type II diabetes disease.