Changes in Plasma Phenolic Metabolites of Rats Administered Different Molecular‐Weight Polyphenol Fractions from Chinese Quince Fruit Extracts. Issue 4 (18th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hamauzu, Yasunori; Nakamura, Kazutoshi
• Is Part Of: Journal of food biochemistry. Volume 38:Issue 4(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 407
• Page End: 414
• Publication Date: 2014-03-18
• Subjects: Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; 664.024
• DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.12067
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-8884

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jfbc12067-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Chinese quince is a medicinal fruit rich in polyphenols. We investigated the effects of oral administration of Chinese quince polyphenols extracted with boiling water on plasma phenolic metabolites in rats. Plasma vanillic acid concentration increased for 6 h after administration of both low molecular‐weight polyphenolic fraction (LMW‐F) and high molecular‐weight polyphenolic fraction (HMW‐F). The increase in plasma vanillic acid in the HMW‐F group was 2.1 times greater than that in the LMW‐F group. (–)‐Epicatechin and 3‐hydroxyphenylpropionic acid were detected only in the plasma of the LMW‐F group. Plasma concentrations of protocatechuic and 3‐hydroxyphenylacetic acids increased 2 h after administration of LMW‐F, whereas only a slight increase after 6 h was observed in the HMW‐F group. These results suggest that LMW‐F could potentially increase various plasma metabolites, including (–)‐epicatechin, and that HMW‐F, which mainly consists of procyanidin polymers, could increase plasma vanillic acid after ingestion.</p> </sec> <sec id="jfbc12067-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Practical Applications</title> <p>Chinese quince (<italic>P</italic><italic>seudocydonia sinensis</italic>) fruit has been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicinal foods. According to the results of our animal experiments, Chinese quince polyphenols extracted with boiling water can increase plasma vanillic acid concentration after ingestion. Vanillic acid has various potential health benefits including anti‐inflammatory properties. Hence Chinese quince could be a source of vanillic acid, a pharmacological factor <italic>in vivo</italic>.</p> </sec> </abstract>