The effects of storage‐induced polymerization on the absorption and metabolism of fresh versus aged chokeberry juices in a rodent model

Abstract

Anthocyanins may be responsible for the health benefits of chokeberries, as they are present in large quantities in chokeberries and are potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory agents. Previous investigations on the bioavailability of anthocyanins illustrate that little of the ingested amount reaches systemic circulation. Furthermore, anthocyanins are known to undergo extensive polymerization during storage. Presently, little research has examined the effects of polymerization on the absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate how storage‐induced polymerization affects the absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins in rats by comparison of fresh versus aged chokeberry juices. 75 eight week‐old male, Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive one of the following treatments by gavage once daily for 7 days: water (CTRL), n=8; fresh chokeberry juice (FCB), n=32; and aged chokeberry juice (ACB), n=32. On day 7, rats from CTRL were sacrificed at 0.5h, and 8 rats from FCB and ACB were sacrificed at 0.5, 1, 2, or 4‐h post‐gavage for collection and analysis of blood and urine by HPLC/MS. Based on previous studies, we expect to find higher absorption and excretion of anthocyanins in the rats that received fresh chokeberry juice than in the rats that received aged chokeberry juice. Research support was provided by Arkansas Biosciences Institute.