The inhibitory mechanism of amylase inhibitors and research progress in nanoparticle-based inhibitors

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is caused by persistently high blood sugar levels, which leads to metabolic dysregulation and an increase in the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. High levels of rapidly digestible starches within foods may contribute to high blood sugar levels. Amylase inhibitors can reduce amylase activity, thereby inhibiting starch hydrolysis, and reducing blood sugar levels. Currently, amylase inhibitors are usually chemically synthesized substances, which can have undesirable side effects on the human body. The development of amylase inhibitors from food-grade ingredients that can be incorporated into the human diet is therefore of great interest. Several classes of phytochemicals, including polyphenols and flavonoids, have been shown to inhibit amylase, including certain types of food-grade nanoparticles. In this review, we summarize the main functions and characteristics of amylases within the human body, as well as their interactions with amylase inhibitors. A strong focus is given to the utilization of nanoparticles as amylase inhibitors. The information covered in this article may be useful for the design of functional foods that can better control blood glucose levels, which may help reduce the risk of diabetes and other diet-related diseases.

Keywords:

• Amylase
• digestion
• glycemic
• inhibitors
• nanoparticles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20210458). The National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFC1606804). The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP121006). Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (2021QNRC001). Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX22_2397).