Dihydrochalcone-derived polyphenols from tea crab apple (Malus hupehensis) and their inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase in vitro

Food Funct. 2019 May 22;10(5):2881-2887. doi: 10.1039/c9fo00229d.

Abstract

Three dihydrochalcone-derived polyphenols, huperolides A-C (1-3), along with thirteen known compounds (4-16) were isolated from the leaves of Malus hupehensis, the well-known tea crab apple in China. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including NMR (HSQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY and ROESY), HRMS and CD spectra. Huperolide A is a polyphenol with a new type of carbon skeleton, while huperolides B and C are a couple of atropisomers, which were isolated from natural sources for the first time. The antihyperglycemic effects of the isolated compounds were evaluated based on assaying their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase. As a result, phlorizin (4), 3-hydroxyphloridzin (5), 3-O-coumaroylquinic acid (12) and β-hydroxypropiovanillone (15) showed significant concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase. Therefore, those compounds might be responsible for the antihyperglycemic effect of this herb, and are the most promising compounds to lead discovery of drugs against diabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Chalcones / chemistry*
  • China
  • Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry*
  • Malus / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Polyphenols / chemistry*
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • alpha-Glucosidases / chemistry

Substances

  • Chalcones
  • Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Polyphenols
  • alpha-Glucosidases
  • dihydrochalcone