Anthocyanins as potent inhibitors of pentosidine synthesis: Antioxidant-mediated effects.

Pentosidine (PEN), an advanced glycation end product (AGE), is associated with various age-related diseases and schizophrenia. This study aimed to identify the natural compounds that inhibit PEN synthesis from glucuronic acid using an in vitro system. A screening of 93 natural compounds revealed 47 that reduced PEN synthesis by > 50 %, with eight inhibiting it by > 80 %. The top five inhibitors were anthocyanins, with petunidin chloride showing the strongest effect, inhibiting PEN synthesis by approximately 90 %. These compounds directly inhibited PEN synthesis without degrading or capturing the synthesized PEN. Petunidin chloride had an IC₅₀ value approximately 85 times lower than that of pyridoxamine, an AGE inhibitor. A correlation between the antioxidant capacity of the compounds and their PEN-inhibitory effects was observed, suggesting that antioxidant properties may contribute to the inhibition mechanism. This study provides potential new therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with PEN accumulation, including schizophrenia, and highlights the potential of anthocyanins in the development of safer preventive interventions.