Zhoupigan (Citrus reticulata cv. Manau Gan) is a local citrus variety in China. Its peel, known as Zangju peel (ZJP). The metabolic profile and bioactivity of ZJP have not been adequately studied, resulting in underutilization of ZJP and a serious waste of resources. In this study, GC-MS identified 46 components in ZJP, which defined ZJP\'s distinct aroma. Furthermore, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS detected 1506 metabolites in ZJP, and the differential metabolites were primarily involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenylacetone. Additionally, 56 key differential metabolites with metabolic pathways were identified. ZJP had significant antioxidant activity and the enzyme inhibitory activity ranking as pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 3.71 mg/mL) > α-glucosidase (IC50 = 6.28 mg/mL) > α-amylase (IC50 = 8.02 mg/mL). This study aimed to evaluate the potential of ZJP as natural antioxidant and functional food source and to serve as foundation for the further development of ZJP products with specific functional attributes.

UNASSIGNED: The current investigation presents a two-fold approach to rediscovering the potential of Sonchus asper as a wild edible plant, both in its raw extract form and as a nanoformulated product. Furthermore, the study aimed to promote the valorization of traditional dishes and contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of S. asper, thus enhancing economic profits.
UNASSIGNED: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses were conducted to characterize the metabolite profile of the raw and cooked leaf extracts, and the extract from discarded leaves. The antioxidant activity, the hypoglycaemic effect and the incorporation into liposomes were evaluated.
UNASSIGNED: 38 compounds and 6 essential amino acids were identified. The incorporation into liposomes maximized the health-promoting properties for potential pharmaceutical or food applications.
UNASSIGNED: The commercialization of S. asper could: (i) contribute to improving the well-being of rural and urban communities, being S. asper a wild edible plant available at low cost, environmentally friendly, resilient, and adaptable; (ii) generate landowner economic returns.

The formation and characterization of new diamagnetic ruthenium uracil mono-imine compounds: [(η6-p-cymene)RuII(L)Cl][BF4] (L = H2urpda = 5-((pyridin-2-yl)methyleneamino)-6-aminouracil) for 1, urdpy = 6-amino-1,3-dimethyl-5-((pyridin-2-ylmethylene)amino)uracil) for 2 or urqda = 5-((quinolin-2-yl)methyleneamino)-6-aminouracil) for 3); cis-[RuII(L)(bipy)2] (L =  urpy = 5-((pyridin-2-yl)methyleneamino)uracil) for 4 and H2dadp = 5,6-diaminouracil for 5) are described. A paramagnetic ruthenium uracil Schiff base compound,  trans-[RuIV(L)(PPh3)Cl2] (L = H2urpda for 6) was also formed. Various physicochemical techniques were utilized to characterize the novel ruthenium compounds. Similarly, the stabilities of 1 - 3 and 6 monitored in chloro-containing and the non-coordinating solvent, dichloromethane show that they are kinetically inert, whereas, in a high nucleophilic environment, the chloride co-ligands of these ruthenium complexes were rapidly substituted by DMSO. In contrast, the substitution of the labile co-ligands for these ruthenium complexes by DMSO molecules in a high chloride content was suppressed. Solution chemical reactivities of the different ruthenium complexes were rationalized by density functional theory computations. Furthermore, the binding affinities and strengths between BSA and the respective ruthenium complexes were monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, the in vitro anti-diabetic activities of the novel metal complexes were assessed in selected skeletal muscle and liver cell lines.

A comparative study was performed to investigate the physicochemical properties and protective effects of hydrochloric acid-resistant dextrin (H-RD), citric acid-resistant dextrin (C-RD) and tartaric acid-resistant dextrin (T-RD) on the metabolic disorders and intestinal microbiota for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice. T-RD had the minimum molecular weight, with the highest short chain (DP 6-12) proportion and resistant starch content. After 4-week intervention with the three resistant dextrins, the body weight and fasting blood glucose of T2DM mice were improved significantly, accompanied by the reduction of serum indexes (TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT, AST, CRE, BUN, FINS, and GSP), but the serum HDL-C and liver glycogen levels increased. Among the three RDs intervention groups, T-RD showed the most significant improvement, followed by C-RD and finally H-RD. The 16 s rDNA results indicated that oral administration of resistant dextrins favored the proliferation of specific gut microbiota, including Faecalibaculum, Parabacteroides and Dubosiella, and reduced the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota, which is beneficial for reducing insulin resistance. Herein, the findings supported that the resistant dextrins exhibited a remission effect on T2DM, providing a basis for the development of functional food adjuvants for T2DM treatment.

Introduction: The industrial processing of corn (Zeamays L.) generates by-products such as corn silk, straw peels, and straw core, which contribute to adverse environmental impacts. Our study aimed to investigate sustainable approaches for mitigating these effects by evaluating the hypoglycemic potential and mechanisms of ethyl acetate fractions derived from these corn derivatives. Methods: We employed glucose consumption assays, high glucose stress tests, UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS analysis, molecular docking, and simulations to assess their components and efficacy. Antioxidant capacities were evaluated using DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and •OH scavenging assays. Results: Notably, the ethyl acetate fraction extracted from straw peels (SPE) exhibited a high concentration of flavonoids and phenolic compounds along with pronounced hypoglycemic activity and antioxidant capacity. SPE significantly enhanced glucose consumption in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells while protecting HUVECs against damage caused by high glucose levels. Molecular docking analyses confirmed the interaction between active compounds and α-glucosidase as well as α-amylase, while molecular dynamic simulations indicated stability at their binding sites. Discussion: In conclusion, the hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties observed in corn by-products such as straw peels, corn silk, and straw core can be attributed to the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, coupled with their rich phenolic and flavonoid content. These findings highlight the potential of these by-products for applications in healthcare management and their sustainable utilization, demonstrating significant value in the use of agricultural residues.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and insufficient relative insulin secretion, leading to elevated blood sugar and the development of diabetic complications. T2DM not only seriously affects people\'s health and quality of life, but also brings a heavy burden to society and economy. At present, the treatment of T2DM mainly relies on drug therapy, but these drugs often have problems such as side effects, resistance and high cost, and can not fully meet the needs and expectations of patients. Therefore, it is of great significance and value to find safe and effective natural medicines or functional foods to assist the treatment and prevention of T2DM.
OBJECTIVE: Chinese jujube are a common fruit that contain abundant polyphenolic compounds, which exhibit multiple physiological activities, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and blood glucose lowering. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of red date polyphenols on glycemic control and oxidative stress status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Dietary management and interventions are crucial in the clinical management of diabetes. Numerous active dietary components in black tea have demonstrated positive effects on blood glucose levels and metabolic functions. However, limited research has explored the potential of theaflavins (TF), polyphenols in black tea, for diabetes management. In this study, high-purity TF was administered to Goto-Kakizaki (GK) diabetic model rats for four weeks to investigate its impact on diabetic pathology and analyze the underlying mechanisms through liver transcriptomics, hepatocyte metabolomics, and gut microbiome analysis. The findings indicated that continuous administration of TF (100 mg/kg) significantly suppressed blood glucose levels, reduced insulin resistance, and decreased the expression of oxidative stress indicators and inflammatory factors in GK rats. Further analysis revealed that TF might alleviate insulin resistance by improving hepatic glycogen conversion and reducing hepatic lipid deposition through modulation of key pathways, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and PI3K/AKT/GSK-3 pathways within the liver, thereby ameliorating diabetic symptoms. Additionally, TF intake facilitated the restoration of the intestinal microbial community structure by reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria. It also reduced endotoxin lipopolysaccharide production, thereby lowering the chances of insulin resistance development and enhancing its efficacy in regulating blood glucose levels. These findings offer a novel perspective on the potential of black tea and its active constituents to prevent and treat diabetes and other metabolic disorders, providing valuable references for identifying and applying active dietary components from tea.

Patients with diabetes require daily medication to maintain blood sugar levels. Nevertheless, the long-term use of antidiabetics can lose efficacy and cause degeneration in some patients. For long-term diabetes care, integrating natural dietary foods and medicine is being considered. This study investigated the impact of SDOs on blood sugar levels and their physiological effects on diabetic rats. We induced diabetes in male Wistar rats with STZ (50 mg/kg) and then administered an oral glucose tolerance test to determine the SDO dosage comparable to glibenclamide. The rats were divided into nine groups: normal, diabetic, and diabetic with insulin (10 U/kg), glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg), bovine serum albumin (BSA; 200 mg/kg), soy protein isolate (200 mg/kg), or SDOs (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg). Diabetic rats administered SDOs had a higher body weight and serum insulin but a lower blood sugar than diabetic control rats. Biochemical assays indicated lower AST/SGOT, ALT/SGPT, BUN, and triglycerides but higher HDL in the SDO groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that SDOs reduced damaged islet cells, increased beta-cell size, and improved insulin levels while decreasing alpha cell size and glucagon. The vascular effects of SDOs were like those of normal control treatment and insulin treatment in diabetic rats. SDOs, a yellow silk protein, show potential for long-term diabetes care.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disease that adversely impacts patient health. In this study, a T2DM model was established in ICR mice through the administration of a high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to explore the hypoglycemic effect of polysaccharides from Physalis alkekengi L. After six weeks of treatment, the mice in the high-dosage group (800 mg/kg bw) displayed significant improvements in terms of fasting blood glucose concentration, glucose tolerance, serum insulin level, insulin resistance, and weight loss (p < 0.05). The polysaccharides also significantly regulated blood lipid levels by reducing the serum contents of total triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins and increasing the serum content of high-density lipoproteins (p < 0.05). Furthermore, they significantly enhanced the hepatic and pancreatic antioxidant capacities, as determined by measuring the catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and the total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the P. alkekengi polysaccharides can increase the expression of GPR43 in mice colon epithelial cells, thereby promoting the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1. In summary, P. alkekengi polysaccharides can help to regulate blood glucose levels in T2DM mice and alleviate the decline in the antioxidant capacities of the liver and pancreas, thus protecting these organs from damage.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder commonly associated with atherosclerosis. Plants with therapeutic potential, such as Lippia origanoides Kunth, emerge as effective alternatives for treating these diseases. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of Lippia origanoides Kunth (ELo) in alloxan-diabetic rats. Animals were treated orally: normal control, hyperglycemic control, positive control glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), and groups treated with ELo (75, 150, and 250 mg/kg). Preclinical evaluation of ELo showed hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatic, and renal protective effects. At all doses, ELo significantly reduced hyperglycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, atherogenic index, atherogenic coefficient, and cardiovascular risk index (p < .05). Elo at different doses promoted an increase in insulin release compared to untreated animals (p < .05) and showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (p < .05). Also, ELo (250 mg/kg group) showed maximum reduction of hyperglycemia, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, malonaldehyde, and urea compared to the hyperglycemic and glibenclamide groups, and creatinine only compared to the hyperglycemic groups (p < .05). The promising action of ELo in the context of diabetes may be related to the synergistic action of flavonoid compounds identified in liquid chromatography, whose pharmacological capabilities have already been documented in previous studies. The mechanisms may be the stimulation of insulin release; the inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase; improving general clinical conditions; and the antioxidant effects of the extract. These findings pave the way for the future development of an herbal presentation of L. origanoides Kunth as a hypoglycemic and cardiovascular protector with a lipid-lowering effect.