Koichiro Tobe

Procyanidin B1 is detected in human serum after intake of proanthocyanidin-rich grape seed extract.

To confirm the absorption of proanthocyanidin (PA) into the human body, four healthy adults were administered 2.0 g of PA-rich grape seed extract (GSE). Blood were drawn before intake and 2 h after intake. Through the enzymatic treatment of sulfatase and β-glucuronidase, blood samples were analyzed by HPLC coupled with mass-spectrometry (LC/MS). Procyanidin B1 [epicatechin-(4β→8)-catechin] was detected in human serum 2 h after intake. Its concentration was 10.6±2.5 nmol/l.

New enzymatic synthesis of 63-modified maltooligosaccharides and their inhibitory activities for human α-amylases

Ten new 6(3)-modified maltopentaoses and tetraoses were synthesized by enzymatic reactions utilizing cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) and subsequent human salivary alpha-amylase (HSA) (EC 3.2.1.1). Among these compounds, alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-(6-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-D-glucopyranose (11) and alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-(6-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-D-glucopyranose (12) showed strong inhibitory activities for human pancreatic alpha-amylase (HPA) and HSA. The IC50 of 6(3)-deoxymaltopentaose 11 (8.0 x 10(-5) M for HPA, 1.0 x 10(-4) M for HSA) and 6(3)-deoxymaltotetraose 12 (2.0 x 10(-3) M for HPA, 2.0 x 10(-3) M for HSA) were lower than that of 6(3)-deoxymaltotriose [(6-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-D-glucopyranose 13; 2.0 x 10(-3) M for HPA, 4.2 x 10(-2) M for HSA].