Comparative analysis of fecal phenolic content between normal and obese rats after oral administration of tea...

Tea polyphenols (TP) have many health benefits, but most are metabolized into low molecular-weight phenolic acids after oral administration. In the present study, the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of catechins in rats fed a normal chow diet and in obese rats fed a high-fat and high-sugar (HFHS) diet were compared. After a ten-day oral administration of TP (500 mg per kg bw), the plasma levels of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG) in obese rats were significantly lower than those in the normal group. In obese rats, the fecal levels of EGCG, (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) and GCG were significantly enhanced. Ten phenolic metabolites of TP were quantitatively analyzed, and the results showed that 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid was the primary metabolite in feces and plasma. The plasma and fecal concentrations of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid in the obese group were significantly lower than those in normal rats, but the levels of 4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid in plasma and feces were increased. The content of other phenolic acids was also dramatically changed. These results suggested that a HFHS diet might influence the excretion of tea catechins, leading to insufficient metabolism of catechins by the gut microflora.