Source: NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIV submitted to NRP
INVESTIGATION OF SUBSTANCES DERIVED FROM GARLIC SCAPE AS POTENTIAL ANTI-DIABETIC NUTRACEUTICALS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1028543
Grant No.
2022-38821-37259
Cumulative Award Amt.
$293,845.00
Proposal No.
2021-12882
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
May 1, 2022
Project End Date
Apr 30, 2026
Grant Year
2022
Program Code
[EQ]- Research Project
Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIV
1601 EAST MARKET STREET
GREENSBORO,NC 27411
Performing Department
Family and Consumer Sciences
Non Technical Summary
The overall objective of the proposed project is to build research competency in agriculture-nutraceutical research in terms of investigating anti-diabetic effects of garlic scapes, discarded byproducts of garlic bulbs production through interdisciplinary research, and integrating Extension work. Objective 1 is to optimize garlic scapes growth and yield and to extract and identify their bioactive compounds. Several garlic cultivars will be grown and the best cultivars that grow in North Carolina will be selected by measuring various plant growing criteria. The selected garlic scape will be used for extracting bioactive compounds, measuring nutritional value, and identifying bioactive compounds. Objective 2 investigates the effects of garlic scapes extract and its identified major bioactive compounds on intestinal carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in vitro. Objective 3 is to determine the effects of garlic scapes extract on intestinal glucose uptake using human intestinal cells by measuring the cell's function and metabolome. Objective 4 is to educate garlic growers, Extension educators, and consumers on the production and health benefits of garlic scapes by providing dissemination activities and materials including garlic scape growing skills and health effects. Successful completion of this project will build state-of-the-art capacity in nutraceutical research at CAES of N.C. A&T and make faculty and students promote their knowledge and skills in nutraceutical research using food byproducts on improving human health. Therefore, the project goals align with CBG's goal to enhance and strengthen the quality of the research program in food, agricultural, natural resources, and human FANH) sciences.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
40%
Developmental
30%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70214511010100%
Knowledge Area
702 - Requirements and Function of Nutrients and Other Food Components;

Subject Of Investigation
1451 - Onion, garlic, leek, shallot;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this proposed project is to build research competency in agriculture-nutraceutical research at NC A&T State University in terms of investigating anti-diabetic effects of garlic scapes. Objective 1 is to optimize garlic scapes growth and yield and to extract and identify their bioactive compounds. Objective 2 investigates the effects of garlic scapes extract and its identified major bioactive compounds on intestinal carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in vitro. Objective 3 is to determine the effects of garlic scapes extract on intestinal glucose uptake. Objective 4 is to educate garlic growers, Extension educators, and consumers on the production and health benefits of garlic scapes.
Project Methods
Objective 1 is to optimize garlic scapes growth and yield and to extract and identify their bioactive compounds. Garlic cultivars will be grown and garlic cultivars that produce the best quality of garlic bulbs and scapes in North Carolina will be selected. The selected garlic scapes will be extracted and bioactive compounds in the garlic scapes extract will be identified. Objective 2 investigates the effects of garlic scapes extract and its identified major bioactive compounds on intestinal carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in vitro. Objective 2 will measure the biochemically inhibitory effects of dGSE and its major bioactive compounds on carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes and identify their physical interaction between the enzymes and major bioactive compounds. Objective 3 is to determine the effects of garlic scapes extract on intestinal glucose uptake. Objective 3 will examine the effects of dGSE and its major bioactive compounds on glucose uptake regulatory system and metabolites using Caco-2 cells. Objective 4 is to educate garlic growers, Extension educators, and consumers on the production and health benefits of garlic scapes. Objective 4 will perform various outreach workshops and events and prepare extension guide handbooks to disseminate our findings.

Progress 05/01/23 to 04/30/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The project will provide knowledge and practical methods for growing garlic scapes and scientific evidence that garlic scapes' phytochemicals reduce diabetes. Therefore, the target audience of the project are farmers, food and pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare sectors. Changes/Problems:Dr. Gu, a Co-PI and Dr. Dong, a Co-PI left NCAT and joined other Universities. So, Dr. Kang changed these two Co-PIs to Dr. Trequan M. McGee and Dr. Kristen L. Rhinehardt who have the same research capacity. This has been approved by USDA in June 2024. Dr. Wang, a Co-PI left NCAT and joined another University. He has the same instrument in his new workplace and he will continually work for the project as a subawardee (Co-PI). This has been approved by USDA in June 2024. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Three graduate students and one undergraduate students had learning experiences in the field work and wet laboratories. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In objective 1 of the project, the second year garlic cultivation completed. Garlic scapes and garlic bulbs were collected and their length, weight, diameters were measured. Garlic scapes' phytochemicals were extracted and total phenolic content of each garlic scape cultivar was measured.

Publications


    Progress 05/01/22 to 04/30/23

    Outputs
    Target Audience:The project will provide knowledge and practical methods for growing garlic scapes and scientific evidence that garlic scapes' phytochemicals reduce diabetes. Therefore, the target audience of the project are farmers, food and pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare sectors. Changes/Problems:Dr. Gu, a Co-PI left NCAT in Spring 2023 and joined another University, but he continually has worked on this project with his research associate who worked at NCAT and they successfully produce the data as we planned. He will continually work on the project. Dr. Wang, a Co-PI left NCAT in Fall 2022 and joined another University. His work will start from the Fall 2023. He has the same instrument in his new workplace and he will continually work for the project (we made a subcontract for him). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students and one undergraduate student had learning experiences in the field work. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The data obtained from this farm work during cultivation of garlic and garlic scapes was disseminated to 117 farmers by a poster presentation on N.C. A&T Small Farm Field Day, June 15, 2023. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? In objective 1 of the project, 24 garlic cultivars were planted in a farm of the N.C. A&T State University and then garlic scapes were harvested from 16 of 18 hard neck garlic plants. Their length, weight, diameters, and harvested times were determined and then they were used for extracting phytochemicals. The total phenolic content of each garlic scape extract was measured.

    Publications