# _Beta vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_: A Valuable Food with High Added Health Benefits
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Inhibition of Beta vulgaris subsp. martiima Leaves on Non-Enzymatic Glycation Process  
Glycation of proteins is a non-enzymatic chemical modification of proteins or amino acids by reducing sugars such as fructose [18]. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are irreversible heterogeneous byproducts of this reaction that are implicated in the development of aging as well as the pathogenesis of age-related disorders such as diabetes' complications [37; 38]. The extract of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_ leaves was evaluated with BSA assay to determine its ability to reduce AGEs' formation. The extract (0.125-3 mg/mL) showed a concentration-dependent anti-glycation effect (Figure 1C). After 4 weeks of incubation, the highest concentration reduced BSA glycation by 54.63%, while 1 mg/mL of aminoguanidine, the positive control, inhibited glycation by 89.20%. In the early stages of glycation, unstable Schiff's bases form, which are then converted into Amadori products such as fructosamine. As a result, reducing fructosamine is a therapeutic strategy for the onset of diabetes' complications [18]. The extract of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_ leaves significantly reduced fructosamine and AGE production. Figure 1B shows the amount of fructosamine produced by Amadori. After 4 weeks, monosaccharide-induced glycated BSA was found to have significantly higher fructosamine levels than non-glycated BSA. The addition of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_ extract and AG significantly suppressed the generation of fructosamine. At the end of the study period, the utilization of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_ extract led to a reduction in the fructosamine levels in a dose-dependent manner. Compared to the positive control, the content of fructosamine in the fructose-glycated BSA was the same in the extract at the concentration of 1 mg/mL. The effects of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_ extract on the oxidation of protein thiols are shown in Figure 1A. BSA incubated with fructose had significantly decreased thiol groups' content when compared to BSA alone. At week 4, fructose caused a decrease in thiol group \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Antioxidants’ Properties (IC\({}_{50}\) Values; mg/mL)**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Reducing Power**} \\ \cline{2-5}
**DPPH Scavenging Activity** & **ABTS** & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Metal** \\ **Chelating Activity** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Reducing Power** \\ **(mg AAE/g dw)** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline Aqueous extract & 1.789 \(\pm\) 0.062 [FOOTNOTE:2]Footnote 2: All the values are mean \(\pm\) standard deviation. IC\({}_{50}\): the extract concentration providing 50% inhibition; DPPH 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydraz; ABTS: 2.2\({}^{\prime}\)-azino-bis (3 ethylbenzothazoline-6-sulphonic acid); AAE: ascorbic acid Equivalent; dw: dry weight. Different letters (a \& b) within each column indicate statistically significant differences at \(p<0.05\). \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: IC\({}_{50}\) values (mean \(\pm\) SD) obtained in the antioxidant activity assays of _Beta vulgaris_ subsp. _martiima_. content in BSA (0.5 nmol/mg protein). There was a significant improvement in the level of thiol after the addition of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_ extract at various concentrations (3-0.125 mg/mL) as well as AG. At week 4 of incubation, _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_ extract and AG mediated protect the thiol groups at the different concentrations with the highest content observed when using 3 mg/mL of the extract. AGE production begins under hyperglycemic or oxidative stress conditions and is characterized by the conversion of reversible Schiff-base adducts to covalently bound Amadori products, which undergo further rearrangements that terminate in the formation of irreversibly bound molecules known as AGEs [39]. To the best of our knowledge, the effects of _B. vulgaris_ subsp. _maritima_ leaves have not yet been examined for bioactivities relevant to diabetes; therefore, our studies on the effects of _B. vulgaris_ subsp.