Inhibitory effects of barnyard millet phenolic compounds on the advanced glycation end product formation and diabetic retinopathy.

Protein glycation and advanced glycation end products (AGE) generate free radicals via
the autoxidation of sugars. Besides, accumulation of these AGE products has been implicated in
numerous diabetic complications including neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and cataract. In
addition, elevated eye lens aldose reductase (AR) activity, which converts glucose to sorbitol
through polyol pathway also results in altered vascular and retinal membrane permeability,
accelerated glucose metabolism-associated oxidative stress and cataractogenesis. Therefore,
inhibiting the process of protein glycation and AR activity are some of the key strategies adopted
to prevent glycation-mediated diabetic complications. In recent years, natural phytochemicals from
plants that effectively inhibit glycation with fewer side effects have attracted more and more interest
from researchers. Thus, natural protein glycation inhibitors from barnyard millet (Echinochloa
frumentacea) could be a more effective strategy to control protein glycoxidation and AGE formation
and provide benefits without the side effects associated with synthetic drugs. Hence, this study
aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of barnyard millet phenolics on sugar-mediated protein
glycation, AGEs formation and their protective abilities on protein glycoxidation