Mechanism study on the inhibition of lactoferrin glycation and AGEs production by pineapple Peel polyphenols based on molecular interaction and antioxidant synergy

This study investigated the inhibition of lactoferrin (LF) glycation by three pineapple peel-derived polyphenols—gallic acid (GA), epicatechin (EC), and ferulic acid (FA). Spectroscopic analysis and molecular docking revealed that each polyphenol binds to LF via hydrogen bonds through static quenching, increasing α-helix content by 1.38%–2.48% and enhancing structural stability. LF-polyphenol complexes exhibited significantly improved DPPH (77.93%–88.74%) and ABTS (55.25%–68.05%) radical scavenging rates compared to LF alone. In vitro anti-glycation assays demonstrated that all three polyphenols effectively inhibited AGEs formation, surpassing aminoguanidine (1 mM) at 12 days. Mechanistic studies indicate these polyphenols inhibit AGEs through multiple combined pathways: potent antioxidant activity, metal ion chelation (up to 46.07%), effective α-dicarbonyl capture, and stabilization of LF structure.