Vitamin C and urea inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end products in vitro

Purpose – Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are continuously formed in the body during normal metabolism and ageing through a non‐enzymatic glycosylation reaction between proteins and carbohydrates, known as the Maillard's reaction. Many AGEs are capable of forming cross‐links between proteins and most of them have fluorescent properties. Production of AGEs is markedly increased in diabetes mellitus where they play a pathological role. The aim of the present study is to investigate the possible inhibitory effects of urea, metformin and ascorbic acid on in vitro formation of fluorescent AGE products by comparing their inhibitory capacity with a well‐known AGEs inhibitor, aminoguanidine.Design/methodology/approach – Experiments were carried out using bovine serum albumin and D (+) glucose to produce glycated bovine serum albumin, a fluorescent AGE. Fluorometer analysis was then performed to measure AGEs production and fluorescent intensity was compared between glycated samples with and without the inhi...