Comparative effect of green tea, chokeberry and honeysuckle polyphenols on nutrients and mineral absorption and digestibility in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Natural polyphenols are chemically and biologically active. This study aimed at examining the physiological effects of high doses of polyphenol extracts from green tea and new polyphenol-rich sources (chokeberry and honeysuckle fruits) on nutrient absorption.


METHODS
32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and fed a diet supplemented with one of the three polyphenolic extracts (at 0.4%) or a control diet for 4 weeks. A perfusion technique was used to study the effects at intestinal level. Pure polyphenols from the three sources were introduced into perfusion fluid at a concentration of 0.4% and allowed to cross the intestinal tract in 1.5 h.


RESULTS
In the perfusion experiment, addition of the extracts caused a strong and statistically significant reduction in absorption of the selected nutrients (water, glucose, cholesterol, amino acids and minerals) compared to control animals. In the nutritional experiment, we recorded a slight decrease in diet utilization and growth in rats on polyphenolic diets relative to control group. In the same experiment, we observed a reduction of Zn and Cu absorption, but this was not accompanied by diminished concentrations in the bone femur.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of the polyphenolic extracts in the perfusion liquids significantly reduced absorption from the small intestine, but the nutritional experiment did not confirm deleterious consequences of the consumption of high extract doses.
Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland. slawus @ pan.olsztyn.pl
Slawomir
S
Frejnagel
Monika
M
Wroblewska
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002364:Caseins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004032:Diet; D004063:Digestion; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005502:Food; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D031239:Lonicera / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D010477:Perfusion; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046936:Photinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D059808:Polyphenols; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*
D002364:Caseins; D005419:Flavonoids; D008903:Minerals; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013662:Tea; D009584:Nitrogen