(The FASEB Journal. 2007;21:240.

6)
2007 FASEB

240.6

Absorption and metabolism of pelargonidin-3glucoside with increasing strawberry dose

Colleen Carkeet , Beverly A. Clevidence and Janet A. Novotny
Diet and Human Performance Lab, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, ARS/USDA, 10300
Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD, 20705

ABSTRACT
Consumption of anthocyanins has been associated with a variety of health

benefits, though little is known about anthocyanin dose response. A clinical study
was conducted to investigate the dose response of strawberry anthocyanins.

Twelve volunteers consumed each of three strawberry treatments in a crossover

design. Treatments were 100 g, 200g, and 400 g of pureed strawberries,

delivering 15.2 mol, 30.4 mol, and 60.7 mol anthocyanin, respectively. Final
volumes of treatments were matched at 400 g by addition of water. Urine was

collected for 24 hours after each dose and analyzed by HPLC with ion trap mass

spectrometry. Pelargonidin-3-glucoside (P3G) was the major anthocyanin form in

the treatments, and P3G and three metabolites of P3G (detected as

monoglucuronides) were observed in urine after the strawberry ingestion. One

monoglucuronide form was detected in urine in masses 10-fold higher than the
other two monoglucuronide forms. Total anthocyanin appearance in urine
increased with increasing dose. In addition, mass of each pelargonidin

monoglucuronide in urine increased with increasing dose. These results suggest

that pelargonidin-3-glucoside absorption and metabolism are not saturated at
masses equal to or less than 60 mol, thus showing that more strawberry
anthocyanin can be absorbed with increasing dose.

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.