Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Selected Phenolic Acids, Flavonoids, Their O-Glucosides, and Low-Molecular-Weight Phenolic Metabolites in Relation to Their Oxidation Potentials

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: In this study, the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of selected phenolic acids, flavonoids, their <i>O</i>-glucosides, and low-molecular-weight phenolic metabolites was addressed to show their importance against blood hypertension. <b>Methods</b>: A fluorescence assay was used for the determination of the ACE inhibitory activity, whereas the first anodic peak oxidation potential (Epa) was provided by the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The relationship between the ACE inhibitory activity and Epa was evaluated. <b>Results</b>: Phenolic acids showed a very low ACE inhibitory activity, and their rank was chlorogenic acid > p-coumaric acid > sinapic acid > gentisic acid > ferulic acid > syringic acid > vanillic acid > protocatechuic acid > caffeic acid. The low-molecular-weight phenolic metabolites of flavonoids showed a moderate ACE inhibitory activity. In contrast, flavonoid aglicones had the highest ACE inhibitory activity, and the order was luteolin > quercetin > kaempferol > cyanidin > delphinidin > pelargonin > naringenin. A lower inhibition activity was noted for quercetin-3-<i>O</i>-glucoside, luteolin-4'-<i>O</i>-glucosides, cyanidin-3-<i>O</i>-glucoside, and pelargonidin-3-<i>O</i>-glucosides, whereas a higher ACE inhibition activity was observed for 7-<i>O</i>-glucosides of luteolin, apigenin, and kaempferol. A lack of correlation was found between the IC₅₀ of phenolic acids, low-molecular-weight phenolic metabolites, and their Epa values. In contrast, weak positive correlations were found between the IC₅₀ of aglicons, 3-<i>O</i>-glucosides, 7-<i>O</i>-glucosides, and their Epa values provided by the DPV (r = 0.61, r = 0.66 and r = 0.88, respectively). <b>Conclusions</b>: This study expands our knowledge of the ACE inhibitory activity of phenolic compounds.