Proanthocyanidins as secondary plant metabolites with beneficial health effects are present in a large number of foods including cocoa. But the knowledge of the bioavailibility and the metabolism is rather limited. To investigate the systemic absorption and metabolism of procyanidins a monomer reduced grape seed extract containing procyanidins B1, B2, B3, B4, C1 was chosen. The systemic absorption was determinated in a kinetic study with pigs as they have a gastro-intestinal tract very similar to humans.Proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers were detected in urine samples of pigs using LC-MS/MS. The maximal concentrations vary from 5 to 30 ng/mg creatinine 6 h after administration. This fact shows the absorption of proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers. A slight degradation of oligomeric and polymeric proanthocyanidins to monomers as well as methylderivatives was also observed. These results clearly indicate the absorption of proanthocyanidins and their metabolism during the passage of the gastro-intestinal tract.

Systemic absorption and metabolism   of proanthocyanidins in pigs

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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