title: Inhibitory Effects of Conjugated Epicatechin Metabolites on Peroxynitrite-mediated Nitrotyrosine Formation.
abstract: Previously, we identified four metabolites of (-)-epicatechin in blood and urine: (-)-epicatechin-3'-O-glucuronide (E3'G), 4'-O-methyl-(-)-epicatechin-3'-O-glucuronide (4'ME3'G), (-)-epicatechin-7-O-glucuronide (E7G), and 3'-O-methyl-(-)-epicatechin-7-O-glucuronide (3'ME7G) (Natsume et al. Free Radical Biol. Med. 34, 840-849, 2003). The aim of the current study was to compare the antioxidative activities of these metabolites with that of their parent compound. After oral administration of (-)-epicatechin, E3'G and 4'ME3'G were isolated from human urine, and E7G and 3'ME7G isolated from rat urine. We found that these compounds inhibited peroxynitrite-mediated tyrosine nitration, in the following order of potency: E3'G > (-)-epicatechin > E7G = 3'ME7G. = 4'ME3'G. These results demonstrate that the metabolites of (-)-epicatechin retain antioxidative activity on peroxynitrite-induced oxidative damages to some extent.
authors.affiliation: Food and Health Laboratories, Meiji Seika Kaisha. Ltd., 5-3-1 Chiyoda, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0289, Japan.
authors.forename: Midori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natsume
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Osakabe
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Terao