GC–MS Analysis Explores Bioactive Compounds in Peanut Oil with Antidiabetic Activity

Peanut oil has long been recognized for its mild flavor, high phytochemical content, medicinal potential, and other health advantages. A multinational group of researchers have conducted a study to explore the antidiabetic potential of peanut oil, focusing on its inhibitory effects against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, two key enzymes which are involved in carbohydrate digestion. A combined in vitro and in silico approach was employed to evaluate the oil’s biochemical activity and molecular interactions. The oil was extracted using Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane and characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A paper based on their research was published in Frontiers in Nutrition (1).

Diabetes mellitus is one of the biggest global health threats. With 537 million adults aged 20–79 years reported to have a diagnosis of the disease in 2021, with the number estimated to rise to 783 million by 2045 (2). Long recognized for their diverse bioactive compounds that regulate glucose metabolism and enhance insulin sensitivity, medicinal plants, such as cinnamon, bitter melon, and fenugreek have been used by traditional systems such as India’s Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine for their medicinal properties in general, and for their antidiabetic effects in particular (3-6).

Recent studies have focused on the potential of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and its derivatives, particularly its oil, due to its high content of phytochemicals with medicinal properties (7) Enzymes contained in hydrolyzed peanut proteins have demonstrated the ability to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase, two key enzymes which are involved in the digestion of carbohydrates (8). Furthermore, the extract of peanuts have been found to significantly lower fasting blood glucose as well as HbA1c levels in diabetic animal models; this is most likely because of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant properties (9). Peanut shell polyphenol extracts (PSPE) have also exhibited hypoglycemic effects similar to metformin in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetes models, while maintaining low toxicity (8).

After analysis of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) by GC-MS, 20 fatty acid compounds (representing 99.9% of the oil content) were classified. The researchers found that peanut oil demonstrated significant α-amylase inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 228.23 ± 5.68 μg/mL, surpassing the standard inhibitor, acarbose, which had an IC₅₀ of 3650.93 ± 10.70 μg/mL. The α-glucosidase inhibition by peanut oil, however, was less pronounced, with an IC₅₀ value exceeding 1,000 μg/mL. Acarbose exhibited a much stronger effect with an IC₅₀ of 405.77 ± 34.83 μg/mL. The molecular docking outcomes revealed that stearic acid had a binding energy of -7.5729 kcal/mol and formed hydrogen bonds with residues like Gly164, Asn105, and Ala106, along with hydrophobic interactions with His201, Leu162, Tyr62, Leu165, and Trp59 in α-amylase inhibitory while in α-glusosidase inhibitory apt, the data revealed that compounds such as oxiraneoctanoic acid, 3-octyl, exhibited a favorable binding energy of -6.5120 kcal/mol and formed hydrogen bonds with key residues His674 and Asp616 (1).

The researchers believe that their findings suggest that, while peanut oil holds promise as a natural α-amylase inhibitor, its effect on α-glucosidase is relatively modest compared to the synthetic standard. They recommend that additional research be conducted to investigate the potential synergistic effects of peanut oil's components for enhanced enzyme inhibition (1).

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References

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2. Sun, H.; Saeedi, P.; Karuranga, S. et al. IDF Diabetes Atlas: Global, Regional and Country-Level Diabetes Prevalence Estimates for 2021 and Projections for 2045. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 2022, 183, 109119. DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.109119
3. Kim, J.; Noh, W,; Kim, A. et al. The Effect of Fenugreek in Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24 (18), 13999. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813999
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6. Joseph, B.; Jini, D. Antidiabetic Effects of Momordica charantia (Bitter Melon) and its Medicinal Potency. Asian Pac. J. Ttrop. Dis. 2013, 3 (2), 93-102. DOI: 10.1016/S2222-1808(13)60052-3
7. Al-Bukhaiti W. Q.; Al-Dalali, S.; Noman, A. et al. Response Surface Modeling and Optimization of Enzymolysis Parameters for the In Vitro Antidiabetic Activities of Peanut Protein Hydrolysates Prepared Using Two Proteases. Foods 2022, 11 (20), 3303. DOI: 10.3390/foods11203303
8. Sun, X. M.; Ye, H. Q.; Liu J. B. et al. Assessment of Anti-Diabetic Activity of Peanut Shell Polyphenol Extracts. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B 2018, 19 (10), 764-775. DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B1700401
9. Akter, F.; Jahan, N.; Sultana, N. Effect of peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.) On Fasting Blood Glucose and Hba1c in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Male Rats. J. Bangladesh Soc. Physiol. 2014, 9 (2), 48-53. DOI: 10.3329/jbsp.v9i2.22796