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Metabolism of daidzein by intestinal bacteria from rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Fatemeh Rafii1, Charlotte Hotchkiss, Thomas M Heinze
1Division of Microbiology, National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA, Jefferson, Arkansas 72079, USA.
Purpose:
To identify the metabolites produced from an isoflavonoid, daidzein, by colonic bacteria of rhesus monkeys.
Methods:
The metabolism of daidzein by the fecal bacteria of nine monkeys was investigated. Daidzein was incubated anaerobically with fecal bacteria, and the metabolites were analyzed by use of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.
Results:
The fecal bacteria of all of the monkeys metabolized daidzein to various extents. Dihydrodaidzein was found in cultures of fecal bacteria from two monkeys; dihydrodaidzein and equol were found in cultures from four monkeys; dihydrodaidzein, equol, and an unknown metabolite (MW = 244) were found in cultures from one monkey; and dihydrodaidzein and the unknown metabolite were found in cultures from two monkeys.
Conclusions:
Similar to that in humans, variation was evident in the metabolism of isoflavonoids by fecal bacteria from rhesus monkeys. Some metabolites produced by fecal bacteria from monkeys were the same as those produced by fecal bacteria from humans.
