Absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion of (−)-epicatechin: A review of recent findings

Publication date: June 2018Source: Molecular Aspects of Medicine, Volume 61Author(s): Gina Borges, Javier I. Ottaviani, Justin J.J. van der Hooft, Hagen Schroeter, Alan CrozierAbstractThis paper reviews pioneering human studies, their limitations and recent investigations on the absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion (aka bioavailability) of (–)-epicatechin. Progress has been made possible by improvements in mass spectrometric detection when coupled to high performance liquid chromatography and through the increasing availability of authentic reference compounds of in vivo metabolites of (–)-epicatechin. Studies have shown that [2-14C](–)-epicatechin is absorbed in the small intestine with the 12 structural-related (–)-epicatechin metabolites (SREMs), mainly in the form of (–)-epicatechin-3′-O-glucuronide, 3′-O-methyl-(–)-epicatechin-5-sulfate and (–)-epicatechin-3′-sulfate, attaining sub-μmol/L peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) ∼1 h after ingestion. SREMs were excreted in urine over a 24 h period in amounts corresponding to 20% of (–)-epicatechin intake. On reaching the colon the flavan-3-ol undergoes microbiota-mediated conversions yielding the 5C-ring fission metabolites (5C-RFMs) 5-(hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactones and 5-(hydroxyphenyl)–γ-hydroxyvaleric acids which appear in plasma as phase II metabolites with a Cmax of 5.8 h after intake and are excreted in quantities equivalent to 42% of the ingested (–)-epicatechin. Other c...

Source: Molecular Aspects of Medicine - July 11, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research