Erythritol Attenuates Postprandial Blood Glucose by Inhibiting α-Glucosidase

J Agric Food Chem. 2018 Feb 14;66(6):1401-1407. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b05033. Epub 2018 Feb 5.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious metabolic disorder, where impaired postprandial blood glucose regulation often leads to severe health complications. The natural chemical erythritol is a C4 polyol approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a sweetener. Here, we examined a potential role for erythritol in the control of postprandial blood glucose levels in DM. An anti-postprandial hyperglycemia effect upon erythritol administration (500 mg kg-1) was demonstrated in alloxan-induced DM model mice by monitoring changes in blood glucose after intragastric administration of drugs and starch. We also found that erythritol most likely exerts its anti-postprandial hyperglycemic activities by inhibiting α-glucosidase in a competitive manner. This was supported by enzyme activity assays and molecular modeling experiments. In the latter experiments, it was possible to successfully dock erythritol into the catalytic pocket of α-glucosidase, with the resultant interaction likely driven by electrostatic interactions involving Asp215, Asp69, and Arg446 residues. This study suggests that erythritol may not only serve as a glucose substitute but also be a useful agent in the treatment of DM to help manage postprandial blood glucose levels.

Keywords: competitive inhibition; diabetes mellitus; erythritol; postprandial blood glucose; α-glucosidase.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / enzymology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Erythritol / administration & dosage*
  • Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Postprandial Period
  • alpha-Glucosidases / chemistry
  • alpha-Glucosidases / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors
  • alpha-Glucosidases
  • Erythritol