title: Rapid and sustained systemic circulation of conjugated gut microbial catabolites after single-dose black tea extract consumption.
abstract: Gut microbial catabolites of black tea polyphenols (BTPs) have been proposed to exert beneficial cardiovascular bioactivity. This hypothesis is difficult to verify because the conjugation patterns and pharmacokinetics of these catabolites are largely unknown. The objective of our study was to identify, quantify, and assess the pharmacokinetics of conjugated BTP metabolites in plasma of healthy humans by means of an a priori untargeted LC-MS-based metabolomics approach. In a randomized, open, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 12 healthy men consumed a single bolus of black tea extract (BTE) or a placebo. The relative and, in several cases, absolute concentrations of a wide range of metabolites were determined using U(H)PLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-FTMS. Following BTE consumption, a kinetic response in plasma was observed for 59 BTP metabolites, 11 of these in a quantitative manner. Conjugated and unconjugated catechins appeared in plasma without delay, at 2-4 h, followed by a range of microbial catabolites. Interindividual variation in response was greater for gut microbial catabolites than for directly absorbed BTPs. The rapid and sustained circulation of conjugated catabolites suggests that these compounds may be particularly relevant to proposed health benefits of BTE. Their presence and effects may depend on individual variation in catabolic capacity of the gut microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Unilever Discover Vlaardingen, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, 3133 AT Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Duynhoven
authors.forename: Justin J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van der Hooft
authors.forename: Ferdinand A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: van Dorsten
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foltz
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gomez-Roldan
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vervoort
authors.forename: Ric C H
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Doris M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D059808:Polyphenols; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C057580:gallocatechol