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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Chem.
Sec. Green and Sustainable Chemistry
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1433501
This article is part of the Research Topic New Trends in Green Chemistry: Sustainable and Alternative Strategies for the Extractions of High Value Compounds from Agri-Food Matrices and Residues View all articles

From Waste to Wonder: Exploring the Hypoglycemic and Anti-oxidant Properties of Corn Processing By-products

Provisionally accepted
Xiaoqian Yang Xiaoqian Yang 1*Yuelong Wang Yuelong Wang 1*Jingfeng Li Jingfeng Li 2*Yuxing Tai Yuxing Tai 3*Kunping Yang Kunping Yang 1*Jingwei Lv Jingwei Lv 1*Jiaming Sun Jiaming Sun 1*Hui Zhang Hui Zhang 1*
  • 1 Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, China
  • 2 School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Hebei Province, China
  • 3 Department of Acupuncture and Tuinay, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China., Changchun, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The industrial processing of corn (Zeamays L.) generates by-products such as corn silk, straw peels and straw core, which contribute to adverse environmental impacts. Our study aimed to investigate sustainable approaches for mitigating these effects by evaluating the hypoglycemic potential and mechanisms of ethyl acetate fractions derived from these corn derivatives. We employed glucose consumption assays, high glucose stress tests, UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS analysis, molecular docking, and simulations to assess their efficacy. Antioxidant capacities were evaluated using DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and •OH scavenging assays. Notably, the ethyl acetate fraction extracted from straw peels (SPE) exhibited a high concentration of flavonoids and phenolic compounds along with pronounced hypoglycemic activity and antioxidant capacity, SPE significantly enhanced glucose consumption in insulin resistant HepG2 while protecting HUVECs against damage caused by high glucose levels. Molecular docking analyses confirmed the interaction between active compounds and α-glucosidase as well as α-amylase, while molecular dynamic simulations indicated stability at their binding sites. In conclusion, the hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties observed in corn byproducts such as straw peels, corn silk, and straw core can be attributed to the inhibition of αglucosidase and α-amylase activities, coupled with their rich phenolic and flavonoid content. These findings highlight the potential of these by-products for applications in healthcare management and their sustainable utilization, demonstrating significant value in the use of agricultural residues.删除了: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex chronic metabolic disorder that is not communicable, characterized by glucose intolerance due to a defect in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both 删除了: the antioxidant defenses of the cell 删除了: morphology and function 删除了: In the context of diabetes, the intricate interplay between OS, formation of AGEs, and inflammation is crucial in the progression of complications related to diabetes

    Keywords: Corn silk, Straw peels, and Straw core, Hypoglycemic, antioxidant, Flavonoids, phenolics, molecular docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation

    Received: 16 May 2024; Accepted: 28 Jun 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yang, Wang, Li, Tai, Yang, Lv, Sun and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xiaoqian Yang, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
    Yuelong Wang, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
    Jingfeng Li, School of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Hebei Province, China
    Yuxing Tai, Department of Acupuncture and Tuinay, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China., Changchun, China
    Kunping Yang, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
    Jingwei Lv, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
    Jiaming Sun, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China
    Hui Zhang, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, Jilin, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.