From simulated digestion to α-glucosidase inhibition: The metabolic fate of wine hydroxycinnamic acids.
- 2026
- Current research in food science 12
- Yang Liu
- Hongyu Li
- Gexin Liu
- Yingbo Zhao
- Yaru Luo
- Wangjie Xu
- Shiren Song
- Fuliang Han
- PubMed: 41783830
- DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101356
Study Design
- Methods
- Simulated gastrointestinal conditions using HPLC and HR-LC-MS/MS with isotope validation; molecular docking
- Funding
- Unclear
Hydroxycinnamic acids, key phenolics in wine with physiological activities, exhibit low bioavailability and unclear digestive pathways. This study evaluated the degradation of four hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric and trans-ferulic acid) under simulated gastrointestinal conditions using HPLC. Degradation pathways of caffeic and p-coumaric acid were characterized by HR-LC-MS/MS with isotope validation. Results indicated relative gastric stability but significant intestinal degradation. p-Coumaric acid underwent gastric decarboxylation to p-vinylphenol, while intestinal metabolism formed protocatechuic acid via decarboxylation, oxidation and substitution. Caffeic acid yielded gastric derivatives (rosmarinic acid, ethyl ferulate, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and ferulic acid) through esterification, strong oxidation, dehydration and radical substitution, subsequently generating protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzenepropanoic and ferulic acid via strong oxidation, methanooxidation, hydroxyl displacement, adduct and dehydration. Molecular docking predicted favorable binding of coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and their degradation products to maltase-glucosidase and sucrase-isomaltase, suggesting their potential α-glucosidase inhibitors. Caffeic acid and its derivatives showed stronger predicted binding affinity. These findings, revealed by integrating in vitro digestion with in silico analysis, advance our understanding of how dietary phenolics may exert postprandial glycemic benefits.