Influence of dietary flavonoids on the glycation of plasma proteins

Abstract

It has been suggested that the increasing glycation in diabetes can influence the ability of plasma proteins to bind to small molecules. Herein, the influence of flavonoids on the glycation of plasma proteins was investigated. After being incubated with glucose at 37 °C, the levels of glycated albumin (HGA) were significantly improved in healthy human plasma proteins (HPP). The inhibitory effects of flavonoids against the formation of advanced glycation products (AGEs) in HPP were determined as: galangin > apigenin > kaempferol ≈ luteolin > myricetin > quercetin. After being combined with 20 μmol L⁻¹ of quercetin for 11 days, the fresh plasma with δ-glucose caused 323.05–32.07% inhibition of HGA formation in type II diabetes plasma proteins (TPP). Luteolin showed weak inhibition of HGA formation in TPP. However, kaempferol, galangin and apigenin hardly inhibited the formation of HGA in TPP. These results showed that more hydroxyl groups on ring B of flavonoids will enhance the inhibitory effects on the HGA formation in TPP.