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Biotransformation of antioxidant eriocitrin into characteristic metabolites by the gut microbiota
Hao-Jian Zhang1, Hang Yu2, Jie Fu2
1Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
Abstract:
Eriocitrin is a flavonoid glycoside with strong antioxidant capacity that has a variety of pharmacological activities, such as hypolipidemic, anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. We found that the gut microbiota could rapidly metabolize eriocitrin. By using LC/MSn-IT-TOF, we identified three metabolites of eriocitrin metabolized in the intestinal microbiota: eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside, eriodictyol, and dihydrocaffeic acid. By comparing these two metabolic pathways of eriocitrin (the gut microbiota and liver microsomes), the intestinal microbiota may be the primary metabolic site of eriocitrin metabolism. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the study of pharmacologically active substances.
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