Abstract: Diabetes is considered as one of the most serious metabolic diseases in the world. Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) have been testified as an effective pharmaceutical approach for the management of type II diabetes. Food-derived peptides have been suggested as promising sources of DPP-IV inhibitors with the potential to help manage glycemic levels. This review summarizes recent progress in the production, conventional research approaches, structural characteristics and modes of action of food-derived DPP-IV inhibitors. The applications of bioinformatics analysis (i.e., peptide cutter, molecular docking and quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR)) in the field of DPP-IV inhibitory peptides are reviewed herein and their limitations are outlined. Furthermore, further studies are proposed on the application of food-derived DPP-IV as a functional food ingredient to help manage glycemic levels.

Key words: dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory peptide, protein hydrolysate, peptide cutter, molecular docking, quantitative structual activity relationship (QSAR)