Metabolism of - and -Resveratrol and Dihydroresveratrol in an Intestinal Epithelial Model.

-resveratrol, a well-known plant phenolic compound, has been intensively investigated due to its association with the so-called French paradox. However, despite its high pharmacological potential, -resveratrol has shown relatively low bioavailability. -resveratrol is intensively metabolized in the intestine and liver, yielding metabolites that may be responsible for its high bioactivity.

Biotransformation of Silymarin Flavonolignans by Human Fecal Microbiota.

Flavonolignans occur typically in (milk thistle) fruit extract, silymarin, which contains silybin, isosilybin, silychristin, silydianin, and their 2,3-dehydroderivatives, together with other minor flavonoids and a polymeric phenolic fraction. Biotransformation of individual silymarin components by human microbiota was studied ex vivo, using batch incubations inoculated by fecal slurry. Samples at selected time points were analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry.

Metabolism of Stilbenoids by Human Faecal Microbiota.

Stilbenoids are dietary phenolics with notable biological effects on humans. Epidemiological, clinical, and nutritional studies from recent years have confirmed the significant biological effects of stilbenoids, such as oxidative stress protection and the prevention of degenerative diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Stilbenoids are intensively metabolically transformed by colon microbiota, and their corresponding metabolites might show different or stronger biological activity than their parent molecules.

Effect of Selected Stilbenoids on Human Fecal Microbiota.

Dietary phenolics or polyphenols are mostly metabolized by the human gut microbiota. These metabolites appear to confer the beneficial health effects attributed to phenolics. Microbial composition affects the type of metabolites produced.