title: Presence of kynurenic acid in food and honeybee products.
abstract: Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is an endogenous antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors and the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, showing anticonvulsant and neuroprotective activity. In this study, the presence of KYNA in food and honeybee products was investigated. KYNA was found in all 37 tested samples of food and honeybee products. The highest concentration of KYNA was obtained from honeybee products' samples, propolis (9.6 nmol/g), honey (1.0-4.8 nmol/g) and bee pollen (3.4 nmol/g). A high concentration was detected in fresh broccoli (2.2 nmol/g) and potato (0.7 nmol/g). Only traces of KYNA were found in some commercial baby products. KYNA administered intragastrically in rats was absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream and transported to the liver and to the kidney. In conclusion, we provide evidence that KYNA is a constituent of food and that it can be easily absorbed from the digestive system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-950, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Turski
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turska
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zgrajka
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuc
authors.forename: Waldemar A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Turski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry*; D005504:Food Analysis; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007736:Kynurenic Acid