Pharmacokinetics of cranberry juice anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, and phenolic acids in urine

Abstract

Phenolic acids and flavonoids in cranberries may account for some of their putative health benefits. We have previously characterized the plasma pharmacokinetics of phenolic acids (including sinapic, homovanillic, protocatechuic, and sinapic acids) and flavonols (including kaempferol, myricetin, and quercetin) in 10 healthy adults, 50–70 y old. After a 2-d run-in period following a low polyphenol diet, fasted subjects consumed 237 mL low-calorie, sugar-free cranberry juice cocktail (54% juice). To determine the pharmacokinetics of cranberry bioactives in urine, samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 24 h after beverage consumption for determination of 13 phenolic acids, 2 flavanols, 3 flavonols, 6 anthocyanins, and 7 anthocyanin glucuronides. The maximal urinary concentration (Cmax) and time to reach Cmax (Tmax) among the cranberry cyanidin and peonidin glycosides were 0.2–0.9 ng/mg creatinine at 2.2–3.4 h. The Cmax and Tmax of 4 cyanidin glucuronides and 3 peonidin glucuronides were 0.9–41.1 ng/mg at 3.0–5.1 h, respectively. The variations in Cmax and Tmax for phenolic acids and other flavonoids were more pronounced with concentrations of 0.1–21.1 μg/mg at 3.8–18.8 h, respectively. These data suggest that cranberry phenolic acids and flavonoids are bioavailable and metabolized in healthy older adults. (Supported by USDA and Ocean Spray, Inc.)