Characterisation of pancreatic lipase inhibitors from Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis

Obesity has become a significant global health concern, affecting millions of people worldwide. One well-studied approach to identifying potential anti-obesity agents is the inhibition of pancreatic lipase (PL), an enzyme responsible for dietary fat digestion. This study investigated the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of galactolipid monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), that was extracted from Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis on PL. Five different MGDG compounds were isolated and the results showed that compounds containing shorter fatty acid side chains and a higher degree of unsaturated bonds exhibit a greater inhibition effect on PL. Interestingly, both the kinetic study and the molecular docking prediction revealed a non-competitive inhibition of MGDG. Furthermore, the in vitro digestion model also showed that the consumption of MGDG extract with salad dressing was effective in delaying enzymatic fat digestion in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that MGDG from Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis may be a promising candidate for developing novel anti-obesity therapies.