<i>In vitro</i> evaluation of digestive enzyme inhibition and antioxidant effects of naked oat phenolic acid compound (OPC)

Summary This research was focused on digestive enzyme inhibition and antioxidant properties of naked oat phenolic acid compound (OPC). Free and bound phenolic acid were separated from ethyl acetate fraction, n ‐butanol fraction and aqueous fraction. The interactions between OPC and main digestive enzymes (α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, pepsin and trypsin) were studied. It was shown that the semi‐purified bound phenolic acid (semi‐purified by AB‐8 column) has a competitive alpha‐glucosidase inhibitor, while OPC of the organic extract fraction exhibited the characteristics of a mixed inhibitor. Bound phenolic‐ n ‐butanol fraction (IC 50 = 98.39 ± 0.89 µg mL −1 ) had the strongest ability to scavenge the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Additionally, the starch hydrolysis degree of n ‐butanol extraction naked oat phenolic compound was significantly lower than other fractions in vitro . The integrated results suggested that OPC could be considered as potential healthy factor to control postprandial blood glucose, and the mechanism maybe via anti‐digestion, antioxidation and interaction with diabetes‐related starch.