Inhibition of Key Digestive Enzymes by Cocoa Extracts and Procyanidins

This study determined the in vitro inhibitory effects of cocoa extracts and procyanidins against pancreatic α-amylase (PA), pancreatic lipase (PL), and secreted phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and characterized the kinetics of such inhibition. Lavado, regular, and Dutch-processed cocoa extracts as well as cocoa procyanidins (degree of polymerization (DP) = 2–10) were examined. Cocoa extracts and procyanidins dose-dependently inhibited PA, PL, and PLA2. Lavado cocoa extract was the most potent inhibitor (IC50 = 8.5–47 μg/mL). An inverse correlation between log IC50 and DP (R 2 > 0.93) was observed. Kinetic analysis suggested that regular cocoa extract, the pentamer, and decamer inhibited PL activity in a mixed mode. The pentamer and decamer noncompetitively inhibited PLA2 activity, whereas regular cocoa extract inhibited PLA2 competitively. This study demonstrates that cocoa polyphenols can inhibit digestive enzymes in vitro and may, in conjunction with a low-calorie diet, play a role in body weight management.