Antioxidant and Antiglycation Properties of Carob Flour Extracts: Evaluating Their Potential as a Functional Ingredient in Health-Oriented Foods and Supplements

Abstract

Glycation in biological systems contributes to the development of chronic diseases, particularly under conditions of hyperglycemia and oxidative stress. This study evaluated the antiglycation and methylglyoxal (MGO)-trapping capacities of aqueous and methanolic extracts of carob flour. The methanolic extract exhibited significantly higher bioactive compounds, containing 1.4-fold more total phenolics and 1.6-fold more flavonoids than the aqueous extract, as well as 1.2- and 1.8-fold-higher antioxidant activity. Antiglycation activity was assessed using bovine serum albumin (BSA)–glucose and BSA–MGO in vitro models, where the methanolic extract consistently outperformed the aqueous extract. At 25 mg/mL, the formation of advanced glycation end-products was inhibited by 81.0% in the BSA–glucose model and nearly 70% in the BSA–MGO model. These findings were supported by lower IC50 values for the methanolic extract (6.6 vs. 10.8 mg/mL and 9.4 vs. 16.6 mg/mL). MGO-trapping capacity was also higher for the methanolic extract, reaching 97% with 25 mg/mL after 168 h. The superior antiglycation and MGO-trapping activities of the methanolic extract are attributed to its higher content of gallic acid and other phenolic compounds with known bioactivities. These results highlight the potential of carob-based formulations as functional ingredients with preventive applications against glycation-associated pathologies.