title: Unraveling Anthocyanin Bioavailability for Human Health.
abstract: This review considers the bioavailability of health-protective anthocyanin pigments from foods, in light of the multiple molecular structures and complicated traffic patterns taken by anthocyanins both as flavonoid metabolites and as phenolic acid metabolites within the body. Anthocyanins have generally been considered to have notoriously poor bioavailability, based on the very low levels typically detected in routine human blood draws after ingestion. Although some investigations have assessed anthocyanin bioavailability solely based on the measurement of parent anthocyanins or phenolic acid breakdown products, more recent research has increasingly revealed the presence, qualitative diversity, relatively high concentrations, and tenacity of molecular intermediates of anthocyanins that retain the unique flavonoid C6-C3-C6 backbone structure. We argue that the persistence of anthocyanin metabolites suggests enterohepatic recycling, leading to prolonged residence time, and supports the notion that anthocyanins are far more bioavailable than previously suggested.
authors.affiliation: Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina Research Campus, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, North Carolina 28081; email: mlila@ncsu.edu , mhgrace@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lila
authors.affiliation: Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60501; email: bburton@iit.edu.
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burton-Freeman
authors.affiliation: Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina Research Campus, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, North Carolina 28081; email: mlila@ncsu.edu , mhgrace@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre, Kentville, Nova Scotia, B4N 1J5 Canada; email: wilhelmina.kalt@agr.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Wilhelmina
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kalt
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001682:Biological Availability; D004032:Diet; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry; D005502:Food; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000502:physiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D065628:Intestinal Reabsorption; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D005419:Flavonoids
keywords: anthocyanin metabolites; bioaccessibility; enterohepatic recycling; gastrointestinal tract; phenolic acid metabolites