Fruit and vegetable polyphenols as natural bioactive inhibitors of pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase: Inhibition mechanisms, polyphenol influences, application challenges

Abstract

Pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase are key enzymes in the lipid digestion and absorption pathway and are also targeted for control in response to obesity and other related disorders of lipid metabolism. Fruit and vegetable polyphenols (FVP), as the focus of attention as natural active substances, have been reported to possess pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase inhibitory activities. This systematic review describes various fruit and vegetable-derived polyphenols and their contribution to the inhibition of pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase activities. In particular, the mechanisms of polyphenol-enzyme interactions are illustrated through several different dimensions: quantitative-effect relationship of polyphenol-enzyme activity, enzyme structure and microenvironment exploration, and polyphenol-enzyme binding analysis. Factors that may affect the enzyme-inhibiting activity of polyphenols are also investigated and potential challenges of polyphenol-enzyme binding are discussed in an attempt to facilitate the further advancement of related research and the practical application of the achievements.