title: Decomposition of cocoa procyanidins in the gastric milieu.
abstract: There is considerable interest in the bioavailability of flavonoids and phenolic components of the diet and their bioactivity in vivo. However, little is known of pre-absorption events in the gastric lumen. The effects of the acidic environment, as found in the gastric milieu, on procyanidin oligomers of catechin polyphenols has been investigated. The results show that under these conditions the procyanidin oligomers (trimer to hexamer) are hydrolysed to mixtures of epicatechin monomer and dimer, thus enhancing the potential for their absorption in the small intestine.
authors.affiliation: Antioxidant Research Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chaudry
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pannala
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Srai
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Debnam
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rice-Evans
mesh_terms: D044946:Biflavonoids; D001682:Biological Availability; D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry*; D002392:Catechin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism; D044945:Proanthocyanidins
chemical_list: D044946:Biflavonoids; D044945:Proanthocyanidins; C017674:procyanidin; D002392:Catechin