Relative bioavailability of the antioxidant quercetin from various foods in man.

Quercetin is a strong antioxidant and a major dietary flavonoid. Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of quercetin protects against cardiovascular disease, but its absorption in man is controversial. We fed nine subjects a single large dose of onions, which contain glucose conjugates of quercetin, apples, which contain both glucose and non-glucose quercetin glycosides, or pure quercetin-3-rutinoside, the major quercetin glycoside in tea. Plasma levels were then measured over 36 h. Bioavailability of quercetin from apples and of pure quercetin rutinoside was both 30% relative to onions. Peak levels were achieved less than 0.7 h after ingestion of onions, 2.5 h after apples and 9 h after the rutinoside. Half-lives of elimination were 28 h for onions and 23 h for apples. We conclude that conjugation with glucose enhances absorption from the small gut. Because of the long half-lives of elimination, repeated consumption of quercetin-containing foods will cause accumulation of quercetin in blood.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Hollman, P.C.H., van Trijp, J.M.P., Buysman, M.N.C.P., van de Gaag, M.S., Mengeler, M.J.B., de Vries, J.H.M., Katan, M.B.
Format:	Article/Letter to editor biblioteca
Language:	English
Subjects:	Bioavailability, Dietary quercetin, Flavanoid glycoside, Human, Pharmacokinetics,
Online Access:	https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/relative-bioavailability-of-the-antioxidant-quercetin-from-variou
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