The relative contribution of the small and large intestine to the absorption and metabolism of rutin in man

Abstract

Tomato juice containing rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside) was ingested by healthy volunteers and ileostomists. Blood and urine collected over 24 h were analysed by HPLC with photodiode array (PDA) and tandem mass spectrometric detection. Low concentrations of isorhamnetin-3-glucuronide (C_max = 4.3 ± 1.5 nmoles/l) and quercetin-3-glucuronide (C_max = 12 ± 2 nmoles/l) were detected in plasma of healthy subjects. Metabolites appeared in blood after 4 h indicating absorption from the large intestine. Nine metabolites of rutin were detected in urine but with considerable variation in total amount (40 ± 1–4981 ± 115 nmoles over 24 h). No metabolites were detected in plasma or urine of ileostomists and 86 ± 3% of the ingested rutin was recovered in ileal fluid. In subjects with an intact large intestine, but not ileostomists, rutin was catabolised with the appearance of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid in urine accounting for 22% of rutin intake.

• Tomato juice
• rutin
• ileostomy
• absorption
• metabolism
• catabolism

Abbreviations
HPLC	=	high performance liquid chromatography
PDA	=	photodiode array
MS2	=	tandem mass spectrometry
LPH	=	lactase phlorizin hydrolase
CBG	=	cytosolic β-glucosidase
ESI	=	electrospray ionisation
APCI	=	atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

Abbreviations
HPLC	=	high performance liquid chromatography
PDA	=	photodiode array
MS2	=	tandem mass spectrometry
LPH	=	lactase phlorizin hydrolase
CBG	=	cytosolic β-glucosidase
ESI	=	electrospray ionisation
APCI	=	atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

Notes

^‡ Present address: Biotechnology Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural, Research and Development Institute, P.O. Box 12301, G.P.O., 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

^† Funded by the Malaysian Agricultural, Research and Development Institute.