Diabetes control Flashcards
What are alpha glucosidase and alpha amylase?
Alpha glucosidase and alpha amylase are carbohydrate digesting enzymes.
Coordinate breakdown of dietary starches and other polysaccharides to release glucose.
The theory behind low carb diet and blood sugar control.
What is alpha glucosidase?
Enzyme mainly located in the small intestine.
Breaks down starch and disaccharides’ alpha (1 –> 4) bonds to result glucose.
What is alpha amylase?
Enzyme most prominent in pancreatic juice and saliva
Amylase in saliva breaks large, insoluble starch molecules into soluble starches such as maltose and dextrin.
Pancreatic alpha-amylase cleaves the alpha (1-4) glycosidic linkages of amylose to yield dextrin, maltose, or maltotriose.
Amylase hydrolysis products cannot be absorbed by the intestine.
What happens when alpha glucosidase and alpha amylase are inhibited?
Inhibiting α-amylase breaks down dietary carbohydrates such as starch into simple monosaccharides in the digestive system.
These are further degraded by α-glucosidases to glucose which, on absorption, enters the bloodstream.
Therefore, inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes can suppress carbohydrate digestion, delay glucose uptake and consequently, reduce blood sugar levels.
Inhibitors:
Acarbose.
Voglibose.
Miglitol - absorbed rapidly and almost completely from the small intestine after oral administration (good bioavailability).
What is the mechanism of action of bitter melon?
Mimics insulin.
Increases adiponectin secretion.
Positively regulates the expression of PPARγ.
Lessens insulin resistance.
Inhibits glucose absorption in gut
Inhibits PTP1B and thus render the various insulin signaling pathways.
What are flavonoids?
Flavonoids help regulate cellular activity and fight off free radicals that cause oxidative stress on your body. In simpler terms, they help your body function more efficiently while protecting it against everyday toxins and stressors.
Flavonoids are also powerful antioxidant agents.
What are the problems assocaited with flavonoids?
Low bioavailability.
Not able to isolate enough quantity.
Limited type of compounds available.
How is a flavone molecule synthesised?
Via retrosynthetic analysis.
Start with the structure of the target molecule and progressively cut bonds to create simpler molecules.
This is also called disconnection.
Ester formation.
Diketone formation.
Cyclisation.
What are the advantages of synthetic flavones?
Different substitution group.
Different position of the substitution group.
Better activity.
