Uptake and bioavailability of anthocyanins and phenolic acids from grape/blueberry juice and smoothie in vitro and in vivo.

The goal of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day has not yet been achieved. The intake of polyphenols such as anthocyanins (ACN) could be improved by consuming smoothies and juices that are increasingly popular, especially in children; however, bioavailability data concerning food matrix effects are scarce. Thus, we conducted a randomised, cross-over, bioavailability study (n 10) to determine the bioavailability of ACN and their metabolites from an ACN-rich grape/blueberry juice (841 mg ACN/litre) and smoothie (983 mg ACN/litre) in vivo, and the uptake of a corresponding grape/blueberry extract in vitro.

Inhibition of low-grade inflammation by anthocyanins from grape extract in an in vitro epithelial-endothelial co-culture model.

Background: Anthocyanins (ACNs) are the most prevalent flavonoids in berries and their health promoting effects on vascular functions are still discussed. The aim of the present study was to identify the anti-inflammatory effect of ACNs on activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) after their transport across an epithelial monolayer.

Study Design: We established a transwell epithelial-endothelial co-culture system with Caco-2/HT29-B6 cells mimicking the intestinal layer and HUVECs as endothelial cells mimicking the vascular layer.

A comprehensive high-resolution mass spectrometry approach for characterization of metabolites by combination of ambient ionization, chromatography and imaging methods.

Rationale: An ideal method for bioanalytical applications would deliver spatially resolved quantitative information in real time and without sample preparation. In reality these requirements can typically not be met by a single analytical technique. Therefore, we combine different mass spectrometry approaches: chromatographic separation, ambient ionization and imaging techniques, in order to obtain comprehensive information about metabolites in complex biological samples.

Anthocyanin-rich juice does not affect gut-associated immunity in Fischer rats.

Scope: Most studies on immunomodulatory effects of anthocyanins are concentrated on their anti-inflammatory potential. In vitro studies suggest that anthocyanins possess anti-inflammatory potential, but results from in vivo studies are rare and inconclusive. Sparse information is available about the immune tissues that are affected by anthocyanins.