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Comparing the metabolism of quercetin in rats, mice and gerbils

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Abstract

Purpose

Several species of rodents are used to investigate the metabolism of quercetin in vivo. However, it is unclear whether they are a proper animal model. Thus, we compared the metabolism of quercetin in Wistar rats (rats), Balb/c mice (mice) and Mongolian gerbils (gerbils).

Methods

We determined the levels of quercetin metabolites, quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G), quercetin-3′-sulfate (Q3′S) and methyl-quercetin isorhamnetin (IH), in the plasma, lungs and livers of three species of animals by high-performance liquid chromatography after acute and/or chronic quercetin administration. The metabolic enzyme activities in the intestinal mucosal membrane and liver were also investigated.

Results

First, we found that after acute quercetin administration, the Q3′S level was the highest in gerbils. However, after long-term supplementation (20 weeks), Q3G was the dominant metabolite in the plasma, lungs and livers followed by IH and Q3′S in all animals, although the gerbils still had a higher Q3′S conversion ratio. The average concentrations of total quercetin concentration in the plasma of gerbils were the highest in both short- and long-term studies. The activities of uridine 5′-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase, phenolsulfotransferase and catechol-O-methyltransferase were induced by quercetin in a dose- and tissue-dependent manner in all animals.

Conclusions

Taken together, in general, after long-term supplementation the metabolism of quercetin is similar in all animals and is comparable to that of humans. However, the accumulation of quercetin and Q3′S conversion ratio in gerbils are higher than those in the other animals.

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Abbreviations

Q3G:

Quercetin-3-glucuronide

Q3′S:

Quercetin-3′-sulfate

IH:

Isorhamnetin

QA:

Quercetin aglycone

Rats:

Wistar rats

Mice:

Balb/c mice

Gerbils:

Mongolian gerbils

UDPGT:

Uridine 5′-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase

PST:

Phenolsulfotransferase

COMT:

Catechol-O-methyltransferase

UDPGA:

Uridine 5′-diphosphoglucuronic acid

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a Grant (NSC-98-2320-B- 241-001-MY3) from the National Science Council, Republic of China. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed in the Instrument Center at Chung Shan Medical University, which is supported by the National Science Council, Ministry of Education and Chung Shan Medical University.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no financial conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nutritional Science, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110 Sec. 1 Jianguo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan, ROC

    Shu-Lan Yeh, Yi-Chin Lin, Yi-Ling Lin & Chien-Chun Li

  2. Department of Nutrition, Master Program of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, No. 1018 Sec. 6 Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 43302, Taiwan, ROC

    Cheng-Hung Chuang

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  1. Shu-Lan Yeh
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  2. Yi-Chin Lin
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Correspondence to Cheng-Hung Chuang.

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Yeh, SL., Lin, YC., Lin, YL. et al. Comparing the metabolism of quercetin in rats, mice and gerbils. Eur J Nutr 55, 413–422 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0862-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0862-9

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