Pancreatic α-amylase and lipase inhibitory activity of polyphenolic compounds present in the extract of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.)

• The chokeberry extract exert their inhibitory effects on α-amylase and lipase activity.
• We identified components of chokeberry extract affecting the enzymes activity.
• The most effective inhibitor of α-amylase was chlorogenic acid.
• The most effective inhibitor of lipase was a cyanidin-3-glucoside.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) extract on the activity of porcine pancreatic α-amylase and lipase. An in vitro study demonstrated that three kinds of chokeberry extracts: methanolic, water and acetic caused inhibition of α-amylase and lipase. The methanolic and acetic extracts exhibited the highest inhibitory activities against α-amylase with the IC50 values of 10.31 ± 0.04 mg/ml and pancreatic lipase 83.45 ± 0.50 mg/ml, respectively. In order to identify the compounds which may be the potential inhibitors of α-amylase and lipase, chokeberry extract was analyzed by preparative reverse phase chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS). These studies have shown that both anthocyanins and phenolic acids are compounds which inhibit the ability of the reaction catalyzed by α-amylase and lipase. The most effective inhibitor of pancreatic α-amylase was chlorogenic acid (IC50 = 0.57 ± 0.16 mg/ml). In the group of anthocyanins the most potent inhibitor of α-amylase was cyanidin-3-glucoside (IC50 = 1.74 ± 0.04 mg/ml), which also showed an ability to inhibit the reaction catalyzed by pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 1.17 ± 0.05 mg/ml). These findings seem to indicate the use of chokeberry as a functional food component, contributing to its anti-obesity activities.