Cyanidin 3-glucoside targets a hepatic bilirubin transporter in rats.

One of the organ-specific functions of the liver is the excretion of bilirubin into the bile. Membrane transport of bilirubin from the blood to the liver is not only an orphan function, because there is no link to the protein/gene units that perform this function, but also a poorly characterised function. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacology of bilirubin uptake in the liver of the female Wistar rat to improve basic knowledge in this neglected area of liver physiology.

Apple ( Borkh.) Cultivar 'Majda', a Naturally Non-Browning Cultivar: An Assessment of Its Qualities.

Browning of apple and apple products has been a topic of numerous research and there is a great number of methods available for browning prevention. However, one of the most efficient ways, and the one most acceptable for the consumers, is the selection of a non-browning cultivar. Cultivar 'Majda' is a Slovenian cultivar, a cross between 'Jonatan' and 'Golden Noble'.

Effect of extraction time on content, composition and sensory perception of proanthocyanidins in wine-like medium and during industrial fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Background: The research objectives focused on the extraction of grape tannins during extended maceration. Skins and seeds were extracted separately in a wine-like medium. In parallel, the same grapes were fermented in industrial tanks.

Enhancement of Istrian Malvasia wine aroma and hydroxycinnamate composition by hand and mechanical leaf removal.

Background: Leaf removal is a viticultural practice that promotes the biosynthesis of several important grape constituents by improving fruit zone microclimate. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of hand and mechanical leaf removal, applied at the pea-size stage of berry development, on fruit zone microclimate, volatile aroma compounds, hydroxycinnamates and sensory characteristics of Istrian Malvasia (Vitis vinifera L.) wines.

UHPLC-MS/MS determination of varietal thiol precursors in Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Varietal thiol precursors in grapes are subject to metabolic changes during post-harvest treatments. Metabolic activity should therefore be limited after sampling to understand their biosynthesis in the berry and genetic regulation. In this study, berries were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after harvesting, transported in dry ice, stored briefly at -80 °C, cryo-milled and extracted without being thawed in cold methanol in a ratio of 1:4 (w/v).

Combined Effects of Early Season Leaf Removal and Climatic Conditions on Aroma Precursors in Sauvignon Blanc Grapes.

Early leaf removal around the cluster zone is a common technique applied in cool climate viticulture, to regulate yield components and improve fruit quality. Despite the increasing amount of information on early leaf removal and its impact on total soluble solids, anthocyanins, and polyphenols, less is known regarding aroma compounds. In order to verify the hypothesis that defoliation, applied before or after flowering, could impact the biosynthesis of thiol precursors, we performed a two year (2013 and 2014) experiment on Sauvignon blanc.

Metabolomic profiling and sensorial quality of 'Golden Delicious', 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' apples grown using organic and integrated production systems.

Apple quality was investigated in the scab-resistant 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' cultivars and the scab-susceptible 'Golden Delicious' cultivar. Trees subjected to the same crop load were cultivated using either an organic (ORG) or an integrated production (IP) system. Physicochemical properties, phenolic content, and sensorial quality of fruit from both systems were compared.

Bilberry and blueberry anthocyanins act as powerful intracellular antioxidants in mammalian cells.

Berry anthocyanins have pronounced health effects, even though they have a low bioavailability. The common mechanism underlying health protection is believed to relate to antioxidant activity. Berry extracts, chemically characterised for their phenolic content, were prepared from bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillusL.

Classification of grape berries according to diameter and total soluble solids to study the effect of light and temperature on methoxypyrazine, glutathione, and hydroxycinnamate evolution during ripening of Sauvignon blanc (Vitis vinifera L.).

Grape berries were classified according to diameter and total soluble solids (TSS) to study the effect of light and temperature on methoxypyrazines (MPs), glutathione (GSH), and hydroxycinnamates (HCAs) during the ripening of Sauvignon blanc. The light exposure of the fruiting zone was modified within leaf and lateral removal at the phenological stage berry of peppercorn size and no removal (control). In comparison to the control, the concentration of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) was below the limit of detection in leaf removal 2 weeks before harvest.

Phenolics in Slovenian bilberries ( Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.).

Phenolics from bilberries ( Vaccinium myrtillus L.) sampled from seven different locations and highbush blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) from one location in Slovenia were analyzed.

Exceptionally fast uptake and metabolism of cyanidin 3-glucoside by rat kidneys and liver.

To asses the hypothesis that anthocyanins are rapidly taken up from the blood into tissues, where they accumulate up to their bioactivity threshold, an intravenous dose of cyanidin 3-glucoside (1) was administered to anaesthetized rats. Cyanidin 3-glucoside (1) and its metabolites were analyzed in the plasma, kidneys, liver, urine, and bile, using last-generation mass spectrometry. Compound 1 was found to rapidly disappear from plasma (t/2=0.

Acute cardioprotective and cardiotoxic effects of bilberry anthocyanins in ischemia-reperfusion injury: beyond concentration-dependent antioxidant activity.

Despite being reported to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, little is known about acute direct effects of bilberry anthocyanins on whole mammalian heart under ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) conditions. Bilberry anthocyanins were prepared from the ripe bilberries and analyzed using HPLC-DAD. Their antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring the intrinsic free radical-scavenging capacity and by cellular antioxidant assay (CAA) on endothelial cells, where we quantified the intracellular capacity to inhibit the formation of peroxyl radicals.

Determination of glutathione content in grape juice and wine by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A modified preparation of sample was developed for the determination of glutathione content in grape juice and wine by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, using on-line pre-column derivatization. Ice-cold deoxygenated methanol was used to deactivate the oxidation enzymes in juices or wines and keep the glutathione stable. The optimum recovery of glutathione content in grape juice and wine was obtained when either the sample of grape juice or wine was mixed in ice-cold deoxygenated methanol in the ratio 10:90 (v:v) and further diluted in sodium acetate buffer in the ratio 1:1 (v:v).

Expression of bilitranslocase in the vascular endothelium and its function as a flavonoid transporter.

Aims: Ingestion of flavonoid-rich beverages acutely affects endothelial function, causing vasodilation. This effect might be dependent on flavonoid transport into the endothelium. We investigated flavonoid uptake into vascular endothelial cells and whether this was mediated by bilitranslocase (TC 2.

Bioavailability of flavonoids: a review of their membrane transport and the function of bilitranslocase in animal and plant organisms.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in flavonoids, and ample epidemiological data show that diets rich in fruits and vegetables confer protection against cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, and cancer. However, flavonoid bioavailability is reportedly very low in mammals and the molecular mechanisms of their action are still poorly known. This review focuses on membrane transport of flavonoids, a critical determinant of their bioavailability.

Uptake of grape anthocyanins into the rat kidney and the involvement of bilitranslocase.

Anthocyanins are among the most common flavonoids in the human diet. In spite of their very low bioavailability, anthocyanins are indicated as active in preventing the progress of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, inflammation, and cancer. Any piece of knowledge concerning absorption, tissue distribution, metabolism, and excretion of dietary anthocyanins is expected to help understanding the apparent paradox between their low concentrations in cells and their bioactivity.

The fate of trans-caftaric acid administered into the rat stomach.

trans-Caftaric acid is the most abundant nonflavonoid phenolic compound in grapes and wines. It occurs in chicory and is one of the bioactive components of Echinacea purpurea. In order to fill the gap of knowledge about its bioavailability in mammals, we investigated its absorption, tissue distribution, and metabolism in rats.

Fast access of some grape pigments to the brain.

Anthocyanins represent the main flavonoid pigments in red grape and wine, in red berries, and in many other fruits and vegetables and are widespread in the human diet. After ingestion, these complex, hydrophilic compounds quickly appear as intact molecules in the plasma. This study investigated their presence in the brain of anesthetized rats that received 8 mg/kg of body weight of a pure anthocyanin mixture extracted from Vitis vinifera grapes.

The stomach as a site for anthocyanins absorption from food.

The ability of anthocyanins to permeate the gastric mucosa can be suggested as a possible explanation of the fast kinetics of plasma appearance of anthocyanins in rats and humans. This paper presents an in vivo experiment aimed to prove the involvement of the stomach in the absorption of grape anthocyanins in rats. The required analytical selectivity and sensitivity was achieved by high-performance liquid chromatography, diode array detection and mass spectrometry.

Lower crop load for Cv. Jonagold apples (Malus x domestica Borkh.) increases polyphenol content and fruit quality.

The influence of crop load on fruit quality was investigated on 7-year-old slender spindle cv. Jonagold/M.9 apple trees.