Several studies have documented the hypolipidemic effect of anthocyanin-rich plants in vitro and in vivo. The objective of this study was to elucidate the inhibitory activity of anthocyanin-rich fraction from Thai berries against fat digestive enzymes. The ability of Thai berries to bind bile acid, disrupt cholesterol micellization and the cholesterol uptake into Caco-2 cells was also determined. The content of total phenolics, flavonoid and anthocyanin in Prunus domestica L. (TPE), Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng, Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, and Syzygium nervosum A. Cunn. Ex DC was 222.7-283.5 mg gallic acid equivalents, 91.2-184.3 mg catechin equivalents, and 37.9-49.5 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/g extract, respectively. The anthocyanin-rich fraction of all extracts inhibited pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase with the IC 50 values of 90.6-181.7 μg/mL and 288.7-455.0 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, all extracts could bind primary and secondary bile acids (16.4-36.6%) and reduce the solubility of cholesterol in artificial micelles (53.0-67.6%). Interestingly, TPE was the most potent extract on interfering the key steps of lipid digestion among the tested extracts. In addition, TPE (0.10-0.50 mg/mL) significantly reduced the cholesterol uptake into Caco-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. These results demonstrate a new insight into the role of anthocyanin-rich Thai berry extract on interfering the key steps of lipid digestion and absorption.

Antidesma bunius (L.) spreng (Mamao) is widely distributed in Northeastern Thailand. Antidesma bunius has been reported to contain anthocyanins, which possess antioxidant and antihypertensive actions. However, the antidiabetic and antiglycation activity of Antidesma bunius fruit extract has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activity of anthocyanin-enriched fraction of Antidesma bunius fruit extract (ABE) against pancreatic α-amylase, intestinal α-glucosidase (maltase and sucrase), protein glycation, as well as antioxidant activity. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) chromatogram revealed that ABE contained phytochemical compounds such as cyanidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, ellagic acid, and myricetin-3-galactoside. ABE inhibited intestinal maltase and sucrase activity with the IC50 values of 0.76 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 1.33 ± 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, ABE (0.25 mg/mL) reduced the formation of fluorescent AGEs and the level of Nε-carboxymethyllysine (Nε-CML) in fructose and glucose-induced protein glycation during four weeks of incubation. During the glycation process, the protein carbonyl and β-amyloid cross structure were decreased by ABE (0.25 mg/mL). In addition, ABE exhibited antioxidant activity through DPPH radical scavenging activity and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) with the IC50 values 15.84 ± 0.06 µg/mL and 166.1 ± 2.40 µg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) showed an EC50 value of 182.22 ± 0.64 µg/mL. The findings suggest that ABE may be a promising agent for inhibiting carbohydrate digestive enzyme activity, reducing monosaccharide-induced protein glycation, and antioxidant activity.

Iodization of food grade salt has been mandated in Thailand since 1994. Currently, processed food consumption is increasing, triggered by higher income, urbanization, and lifestyle changes, which affects the source of salt and potentially iodized salt among the population. However, adequate information about the use of iodized salt in processed foods in Thailand is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to assess iodine intake through salt-containing processed foods and condiments which were identified using national survey data. Potential iodine intake from iodized salt in food products was modelled using consumption data and product salt content from food labelling and laboratory analysis. Fish sauce, soy sauce and seasoning sauces (salty condiments) have alternative regulation allowing for direct iodization of the final product, therefore modelling was conducted including and excluding these products. Daily salt intake from household salt and food industry salt (including salty condiments) was estimated to be 2.4 g for children 0–5 years of age, 4.6 g for children 6–12 years of age, and 11.5 g for adults. The use of iodized salt in processed foods (excluding salty condiments) met approximately 100% of the estimated average requirement (EAR) for iodine for non-pregnant adults and for children 6 to 12 years of age, and 50% of the EAR for iodine for children aged 0 to 5 years of age. In all cases, iodine intake from processed food consumption was greater than from estimated household iodized salt consumption. Findings suggest that iodized salt from processed foods is an important source of iodine intake, especially in adults. The use of iodized salt by the food industry should be enforced along with population monitoring to ensure sustainability of optimal iodine intake. Currently, the addition of iodine into fish sauce, soy sauce and seasoning sauces has an important role in achieving and sustaining optimal iodine intake.

Several studies have reported the benefits of anthocyanin-rich berries on improving human health. However, the effect of Thai berries on delaying carbohydrate digestion, antioxidant properties, glycation inhibition, and anti-adipogenesis have not been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the potential of anthocyanin-rich Thai berry extracts from Antidesma bunius or Mamao (ABE), Lepisanthes rubiginosa or Mahuat (LRE) and Syzygium nervosum or Makiang (SNE) on the inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes, the antioxidant activity, anti-glycation, and anti-adipogenic property. In this study, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) contents of the anthocyanin-rich Thai berry extracts were 237.90-300.91 mg GAE/ g extract, 32.45-66.86 mg C3G/ g extract, and 27.19-39.96 mg/ g extract, respectively. Besides, ABE and LRE also contained delphinidin-3-glucoside with values of 21.65 and 0.93 mg/ g extract, respectively. All extracts demonstrated inhibitory activity against intestinal maltase and sucrase with IC50 values of 0.79 -1.52 mg extract/ml and 1.34-1.65 mg extract/ ml, respectively. It was found that ABE exhibited better antioxidant properties than LRE and SNE. Therefore, ABE was further investigated on the antiglycation and antiadipogenic properties. It was found that ABE (0.25 mg/ml) significantly reduced the formation of fluorescence and non-fluorescence AGEs (NƐ-carboxymethyl lysine, NƐ-CML) in fructose and glucose-mediated protein glycation. ABE prevented protein oxidation by reducing the protein carbonyl content and inhibiting protein aggregation by decreasing the β-amyloid cross structure formation. Furthermore, ABE (16 µg/ml) prevented 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. It reduced the intracellular triglyceride accumulation by the inhibition of adipogenic transcription factor expression, C/EBPα. Pparγ receptor contributed to reducing the mRNA expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). These findings suggested that Thai berry extract in this study, especially ABE, can be useful as a promising natural compound for delaying carbohydrate digestion, decreasing the monosaccharide-induced protein glycation and oxidative protein damage, protein aggregation, and preventing adipogenesis.