Evaluation of the Green Alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa for Management of Diabetes
ZHENG SUN1,2 AND FENG CHEN1*
1. Institute for Food & Bioresource Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
2. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong ,China
ABSTRACT
The inhibitory effects of the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa against key enzymes relevant for type-2 diabetes were reported for the first time in the present work. The alga exerted its anti-diabetic actions by scavenging free radicals and/or chelating transition metals but not by suppressing reactive carbonyl species. The findings strongly supported the benefits of microalgae as functional foods in the prevention and alleviation of diabetes.
Key words: Green alga, Amylase, Glucosidase, Diabetes, Free radical scavenger