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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #151454
Title: ABSORPTION AND METABOLISM OF ANTHOCYANINS IN ELDERLY WOMEN AFTER CONSUPTION OF ELDERBERRY OR BLUEBERRY

Author
item WU, XIANLI - UAMS
item CAO, GUOHUA - USDA/CENTER ON AGING, TUF
item Prior, Ronald

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/26/2002
Publication Date: 5/15/2002
Citation: WU, X., CAO, G., PRIOR, R.L. ABSORPTION AND METABOLISM OF ANTHOCYANINS IN ELDERLY WOMEN AFTER CONSUPTION OF ELDERBERRY OR BLUEBERRY. JOURNAL OF NUTRITION. 2002. v. 132. p. 1865-1871.

Interpretive Summary: Anthocyanins (ACN) are phytochemicals found primarily in fruits and they give the deep red and blue/black colors to fruits like cherries and blue berries. Anthocyanins are normally found in fruits in a form which has a sugar attached to it. These phytochemicals may have important roles in disease prevention. This study focused upon the absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins from elderberry and blueberry (BB) in human subjects. The parent anthocyanins in the fruit were found to be absorbed and excreted in the urine intact. In this study we identified ACN metabolites in urine within 4 h of consumption of the fruit. In 5 of 6 subjects fed BB, urine samples contained ACN which were identified as the original forms based upon comparisons to the BB food sample, which contained 24 different ACNs, 22 of which were identified in the laboratory. Plasma ACN levels were below detection limits using 2 mL plasma in BB fed subjects. This study demonstrates for the first time that in vivo metabolism occurs after consuming anthocyanins and demonstrates the relatively low absorption/excretion of ACN compared to other flavonoids.

Technical Abstract: The absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins (ACN) in human subjects was studied in 4 elderly women given 12 g elderberry extract (EBX) (720 mg total ACN), and 6 elderly women given 189 g lowbush blueberry (BB) (690 mg total ACN). The two major ACN in EBX, cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-sambubioside, as well as 4 metabolites, 1) peonidin 3-glucoside, 2) peonidin 3-sambubioside, 3) peonidin monoglucuronide and 4) cyanidin 3-glucoside monoglucuronide were identified in urine within 4 h of consumption using HPLC-MS/MS with DAD detection and retention time. Total EBX ACN excretion was 554 ± 90 'g (Mean ± SD, n=4) (0.077 % of intake/4 h, wt/wt). In 5 of 6 subjects fed BB, urine samples contained ACN which were identified as the original forms based upon comparisons to the BB food sample, which contained 24 ACN, 22 of which were identified by HPLC-MS/MS. A reasonable correlation between BB and urine ACN conc. was obtained except for ACN arabinosides. Total urinary excretion during the first 6 h was 23.2 ± 10.9 'g (Mean ± SD, n=5) (0.004 % of intake/6 h, wt/wt). Plasma ACN levels were below detection limits using 2 mL plasma in BB fed subjects. This study demonstrates for the first time that in vivo methylation of cyanidin to peonidin and glucuronide conjugate formation occurs after consuming anthocyanins and demonstrates the low absorption/excretion of ACN compared to other flavonoids.