The pig caecum model: a suitable tool to study the intestinal metabolism of flavonoids

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2004 Sep;48(4):326-32. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200400022.

Abstract

Pig caecum was used under anaerobic conditions to metabolize flavonoids from several classes, i.e., chrysin 1, naringenin 2, quercetin 3, and hesperetin 4. Whereas chrysin 1 was not converted by the pig intestinal flora under the experimental conditions used, naringenin 2 was transformed to 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid and 3-phenylpropionic acid. Quercetin 3 was metabolized to phloroglucinol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxytoluene. Hesperetin 4 was degraded via eriodictyol to 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid and phloroglucinol. Structural elucidation of the formed metabolites was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography--diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) as well as HPLC-electrospray ionization--mass spectrometry (ESI-MS (MS)) and high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS) analyses. The time course of microbial conversion of 2-4 was determined by HPLC-DAD analysis, revealing slow degradation of 2 and rapid transformation of 3 and 4. The results lead to the conclusion that the pig caecum model is a suitable ex vivo model for studying the intestinal degradation of flavonoids.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cecum / microbiology*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Flavanones / metabolism
  • Flavonoids / metabolism*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hesperidin / metabolism
  • Models, Animal*
  • Quercetin / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Swine*

Substances

  • Flavanones
  • Flavonoids
  • chrysin
  • Quercetin
  • Hesperidin
  • naringenin
  • hesperetin