Background: Controlled non-enzymatic glycation reactions are common under normal physiological conditions. However, during elevated blood glucose conditions, the glycation reactions are accelerated, leading to the formation of toxic compounds such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Several natural products are now being investigated as protective agents against glycation to preserve blood protein structure and functions.
Methods: Human serum albumin (HSA) was glycated with 0.05 M α-D-glucose alone or in the presence of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) extract (0.781-100 μg/mL) for 10 weeks, and biochemical, biophysical, and computational analyses were carried out.
Results: HSA glycated for 10 weeks (G-HSA-10W) resulted in significant production of ketoamines, carbonyl compounds, and AGE pentosidine. Notable structural alterations were observed in G-HSA-10W, ascertained by ultraviolet (UV), fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) studies. Antioxidant, anti-glycating, AGEs inhibitory, and antibacterial effects of ginger extracts were observed and attributed to the presence of various phytochemicals. Molecular docking studies suggested that the compounds 8-shagaol and gingerol exhibited strong and multiple interactions with HSA. Molecular simulation analysis suggests HSA attains a high degree of conformational stability with the compounds gingerol and 8-shogaol.
Conclusions: These findings showed that ginger extract has an antioxidant function and can prevent glycation-induced biochemical and biophysical alterations in HSA. Thus, aqueous ginger extract can be utilized to combat glycation and AGE-related health issues, especially diabetes, neurological disorders, inflammatory diseases, etc.
Keywords: AGEs; HSA; antiglycation; antioxidation; inhibitors; natural products; non-enzymatic glycation; oxidative stress.