Enhancing the Bioavailability of the Ellagitannin, Geraniin: Formulation, Characterization, and in vivo Evaluation.

Geraniin (GE), an ellagitannin (ET) renowned for its promising health advantages, faces challenges in its practical applications due to its limited bioavailability. This innovative and novel formulation of GE and soy-phosphatidylcholine (GE-PL) complex has the potential to increase oral bioavailability, exhibiting high entrapment efficiency of 100.2 ± 0.8 %, and complexation efficiency of 94.6 ± 1.1 %. The small particle size (1.04 ± 0.11 µm), low polydispersity index (0.26 ± 0.02), and adequate zeta potential (-26.1 ± 0.12 mV), indicate its uniformity and stability. Moreover, the formulation also demonstrates improved lipophilicity, reduced aqueous and buffer solubilities, and better partition coefficient. It has been validated by various analytical techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of free GE and GE-PL complex investigated in rabbits demonstrated enhanced plasma concentration of ellagic acid (EA) compared to free GE. Significantly, GE, whether in its free form or as part of the GE-PL complex, was not found in the circulatory system. However, EA levels were observed at 0.5 h after administration, displaying two distinct peaks at 2 ± 0.03 h (T1max) and 24 ± 0.06 h (T2max). These peaks corresponded to peak plasma concentrations (C1max and C2max) of 588.82 ng/mL and 711.13 ng/mL respectively, signifying substantial 11-fold and 5-fold enhancements when compared to free GE. Additionally, it showed an increased area under the curve (AUC), the elimination half-life (t1/2, el) and the elimination rate constant (Kel). The formulation of the GE-PL complex prolonged the presence of EA in the bloodstream and improved its absorption, ultimately leading to a higher oral bioavailability. In summary, the study highlights the significance of the GE-PL complex in overcoming the bioavailability limitations of GE, paving the way for enhanced therapeutic outcomes and potential applications in drug delivery and healthcare.

Effect of Ellagic Acid on Seizure Threshold in Two Acute Seizure Tests in Mice.

Ellagic acid (EA) is a natural dietary polyphenol that has many beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and neuroprotective effects. Studies have revealed that EA may modulate seizure activity in chemically induced animal models of seizures. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of EA on the seizure threshold in two acute seizure tests in male mice, i.e., in the intravenous (i.v.) pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) seizure test and in the maximal electroshock seizure threshold (MEST) test. The obtained results showed that EA (100 mg/kg) significantly elevated the threshold for both the first myoclonic twitch and generalized clonic seizure in the i.v. PTZ seizure test. At the highest dose tested (200 mg/kg), EA increased the threshold for tonic hindlimb extension in the MEST test. EA did not produce any significant changes in motor coordination (assessed in the chimney test) or muscular strength (investigated in the grip-strength test). The plasma and total brain concentration-time profiles of EA after intraperitoneal and oral administration were also determined. Although further studies are necessary to confirm the anticonvulsant activity of EA, our findings suggest that it may modulate seizure susceptibility in animal models.

Serum Metabonomic Study on the Antidepressant-like Effects of Ellagic Acid in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Mouse Model.

As a polyphenol, ellagic acid (EA) has shown potential antidepressant activity. In this study, the effects and serum metabolomic analysis of EA against depression were investigated using a chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced (CUMS) model. EA (20 or 100 mg/kg body weight) significantly ameliorated the CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors, including reduced body weight, decreased sucrose preference, and increased immobility time in both the tail suspension test and the forced swimming test. Furthermore, EA attenuated the CUMS-induced hippocampal damage and significantly increased the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the serotonin (5-HT) levels as well as suppressed the inflammatory response. The metabolomics analysis showed that the disturbance of glycerophospholipid (phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol), amino acid (l-arginine and N-stearoyl serine), and purine (uric acid) metabolism induced by CUMS was attenuated by the EA treatment. Furthermore, the correlation analysis indicated that the metabolite changes were strongly correlated with behavioral disorders, BDNF, 5-HT, and inflammatory cytokines levels. This study provided new insights for the antidepressant effects of EA and suggests that EA may be a potential nutraceutical for improving the management of depression.

Bioavailability and bioactivity of free ellagic acid compared to pomegranate juice.

Pomegranates are an excellent source of ellagic acid (EA), ellagitannins (ETs), anthocyanins and other phytochemicals. The health benefits of pomegranate (Pom) have been mainly related to its EA and ET content. The objective of the present study was to determine EA bioavailability and bioactivity from different sources such as pure/free or natural form (PomJ). This was a cross-over study with healthy volunteers consuming one dose of EA dietary supplement (500 mg free EA) vs. one serving of PomJ (237 mL, ∼120 mg of EA) in a random order. Our data showed that there was no difference in plasma EA concentration between PomJ and EA intake; however, urinary dimethylellagic acid glucuronide (DMEAG), normalized to creatinine, was significantly higher after the consumption of PomJ compared to EA. Plasma insulin at 1 h increased after PomJ consumption compared to the baseline while decreased after EA consumption compared to the baseline. Plasma glucose decreased below the baseline 2 h after the consumption of PomJ but not EA. Plasma leptin was significantly decreased at 1 and 2 h after PomJ and EA consumption. Plasma MCP1 decreased only after PomJ but not after pure EA consumption. To conclude, one serving of PomJ provided the same level of EA in blood, while the increase in phase II metabolism of EA and an acute suppression of plasma MCP1 were only observed after PomJ consumption, suggesting that other constituents present in PomJ, in addition to EA, are bioactive and likely play a role in regulating EA phase II metabolism.

Plasma urolithin metabolites correlate with improvements in endothelial function after red raspberry consumption: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Raspberries are a rich source of ellagitannins and anthocyanins. The aim of this work was to investigate whether raspberry consumption can improve vascular function and to understand which phenolic metabolites may be responsible for the effects. A 3 arm double-blind randomized controlled crossover human intervention trial was conducted in 10 healthy males. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured at baseline, 2 h, and 24 h post-consumption of 200 g and 400 g of red raspberries containing 201 or 403 mg of total (poly)phenols, or a matched control drink. Raspberry (poly)phenol metabolites were analyzed in plasma and urine by UPLC-QTOF mass spectrometry using authentic standards. Significant improvements in FMD were observed at 2 h (1.6% (95%CI 1.2, 1.9) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.8, 1.5)) and 24 h (1.0% (95% CI 0.6, 1.2) and 0.7% (95%CI 0.2, 0.9)) post-consumption of the 200 and 400 g raspberry drinks as compared to control, respectively. Plasma ellagic acid, urolithin A-3-glucuronide and urolithin A-sulfate correlated with the improvements in FMD at 2 and 24 h post consumption, respectively. Consumption of dietary achievable amounts of red raspberries acutely improves endothelial function up to 24 h and ellagitannins may be responsible for the observed effect.

Preparation and characterization of micronized ellagic acid using antisolvent precipitation for oral delivery.

In this work, poorly water soluble phytochemical ellagic acid (EA) was micronized to increase its solubility and thereby the bioavailability during antisolvent precipitation process using N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent and deionized water as antisolvent. The micronized EA (m-EA) freeze-dried powder was prepared by the subsequent lyophilization process. The effects of various experimental parameters on the mean particle size (MPS) of m-EA suspension (m-EAS) in the antisolvent precipitation process were investigated. MPS and production efficiency were taken into account comprehensively to obtain the optimum conditions of antisolvent precipitation. Under the optimum conditions, m-EA freeze-dried powder with a MPS of 429.2 ± 7.6 nm was obtained. The physico-chemical properties of m-EA freeze-dried powder were detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results indicated m-EA kept the same chemical structure with raw EA, but the crystallinity was greatly reduced. Furthermore, a comparison of the 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) values revealed that m-EA was more effective than raw EA in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Meanwhile, m-EA also showed higher reducing power. Moreover, the residual amount of NMP was lower than the International Conference on Harmonization limit (530 ppm) for solvents. The dissolution rate of m-EA was approximately 2 times of raw EA. Moreover, the solubility of m-EA was about 6.5 times of raw EA. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of m-EA increased about 2 times compared with raw EA via oral administration.

Absorption, metabolism, and effects at transcriptome level of a standardized French oak wood extract, Robuvit, in healthy volunteers: pilot study.

The consumption of wine and spirits, traditionally aged in oak barrels, exposes humans to roburin ingestion. These molecules belong to a class of ellagitannins (ETs), and their only known source is oak wood. Very little is currently known about roburin bioavailability and biological activity. We reported for the first time human absorption of roburins from a French oak wood (Quercus robur) water extract (Robuvit) by measuring the increase of total phenols (from 0.63 ± 0.06 to 1.26 ± 0.18 µg GAE equiv/mL plasma) and the appearance of roburin metabolites (three different glucoronidate urolithins and ellagic acid), in plasma, after 5 days of supplementation. Robuvit supplementation induced also the increase of plasma antioxidant capacity from 1.8 ± 0.05 to 1.9 ± 0.01 nmol Trolox equiv/mL plasma. Moreover, utilizing a combined ex vivo cell culture approach, we assessed the effect of Q. robur metabolites (present in human serum after supplementation) on gene expression modulation, utilizing an Affymetrix array matrix, in endothelial, neuronal, and keratinocyte cell lines. The functional analysis reveals that Robuvit metabolites affect ribosome, cell cycle, and spliceosome pathways.

Use of Gemini surfactant in a one-step ellagic acid assay by resonance light scattering technique.

Ellagic acid (EA) reacted with Gemini zwitterionic surfactant, phosphodiesters quaternary ammonium salt (PQAS), and formed fine particles which produced strong enhancement in intensity of resonance light scattering (RLS). The effects of several factors on the RLS signal, such as pH, ionic strength, PQAS concentration and so on, were optimized. The relationship between enhanced RLS intensity and EA concentration was constructed. A novel and rapid method for the determination of EA was built. The linear range of this method was 0.016-4.0 microg mL(-1) and the detection limit was 13.9 ng mL(-1). Under the optimum conditions, the proposed method was applied to determine EA in body fluids with the results of quantitative recoveries between 98.4-101.4% in human serum samples and 99.1-102% in human urine samples. This method characterized by low limit detection is very sensitive and the cost is low, and constitutes a fast one-step procedure which requires only measuring the RLS intensities. The mechanism of the reaction was also studied. This investigation could contribute to the research on the delivery and release of bioactive molecules by Gemini surfactants.

Enhanced oral bioavailability and antioxidant profile of ellagic acid by phospholipids.

Ellagic acid (EA) has been reported as a potent antioxidant from natural resources with several nutritional benefits. The major disadvantage of this phytoconstituent is its rapid elimination from the body after administration. To overcome this limitation, a novel dietary formulation of EA with phospholipid was developed to investigate the effect of this complex on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats. The antioxidant activity of the complex (equivalent of EA = 25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight) and free EA (25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight) was evaluated by measuring various enzymes in oxidative stress condition. The complex significantly protected the liver by restoring the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and liver glutathione, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances with respect to the carbon tetrachloride treated group (P < 0.05 and < 0.01). The complex provided better protection to rat liver than free EA at the same dose. The serum concentration of EA obtained from the complex (equivalent to 80 mg/kg of EA) was higher (C(max) = 0.54 microg/mL) than that of pure EA (80 mg/kg) (C(max) = 0.21 microg/mL), and the complex maintained effective concentration for a longer period of time in serum. The experimental outcome highlighted better hepatoprotective activity of the EA complex due to its potential antioxidant property compared with the free EA tested at the same dose level.

Pomegranate juice and extracts provide similar levels of plasma and urinary ellagitannin metabolites in human subjects.

Pomegranate juice (PJ), a rich source of polyphenols including ellagitannins, has attracted much attention due to its reported health benefits. This has resulted in the consumption of liquid and powder pomegranate extracts as alternatives to PJ. Therefore establishing the bioavailability of polyphenols from these extract preparations is necessary. Sixteen healthy volunteers sequentially consumed, with a 1-week washout period between treatments, PJ (8 ounces, Wonderful fruit variety), a pomegranate polyphenol liquid extract (POMxl, 8 ounces), and a pomegranate polyphenol powder extract (POMxp, 1,000 mg). The three interventions provided 857, 776, and 755 mg of polyphenols as gallic acid equivalents, respectively. Plasma bioavailability, judged based on ellagic acid levels over a 6-hour period, did not show statistical differences in area under the curve for the three interventions: 0.14 +/- 0.05, 0.11 +/- 0.03, and 0.11 +/- 0.04 micromol . hour/L for PJ, POMxl, and POMxp, respectively. The time of maximum concentration was delayed for POMxp (2.58 +/- 0.42 hours) compared to PJ (0.65 +/- 0.23 hours) and POMxl (0.94 +/- 0.06 hours). Urolithin-A glucuronide, a urinary metabolite of ellagic acid, was not significantly different with the three interventions, reaching levels of approximately 1,000 ng/mL. This study demonstrates that ellagitannin metabolites, delivered from pomegranate fruits, as PJ, POMxl, and POMxp, reach equivalent levels with a delay in time of maximum concentration of POMxp compared to PJ and POMxl.

Absorption, metabolism, and antioxidant effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum l.) polyphenols after ingestion of a standardized extract in healthy human volunteers.

The intake of polyphenols has been demonstrated to have health-promoting and disease-preventive effects. The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), which is rich in several polyphenols, has been used for centuries in ancient cultures for its medicinal purposes. The potential health benefits of pomegranate polyphenols have been demonstrated in numerous in vitro studies and in vivo experiments. This study investigated the absorption and antioxidant effects of a standardized extract from pomegranate in healthy human volunteers after the acute consumption of 800 mg of extract. Results indicate that ellagic acid (EA) from the extract is bioavailable, with an observed C(max) of 33 ng/mL at t(max) of 1 h. The plasma metabolites urolithin A, urolithin B, hydroxyl-urolithin A, urolithin A-glucuronide, and dimethyl ellagic acid-glucuronide were identified by HPLC-MS. The antioxidant capacity measured with the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay was increased with a maximum effect of 32% after 0.5 h, whereas the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was not affected. The inflammation marker interleukin-6 (IL-6) was not significantly affected after 4 h after the consumption of the extract. Overall, this study demonstrated the absorbability of EA from a pomegranate extract high in ellagitannin content and its ex vivo antioxidant effects.

Site-specific accumulation of the cancer preventive dietary polyphenol ellagic acid in epithelial cells of the aerodigestive tract.

Ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenol present in berries, has been demonstrated to prevent oesophageal and colon cancer in animals. To better understand the site-specificity of these effects, we studied the accumulation and transport of [14C]EA in rat aerodigestive epithelial cells in-vivo and in cultured human cells. When [14C]EA was administered to rats by gavage, a high content of EA was found in the oesophagus and small intestine at 0.5 h after oral administration and in the colon at 12 h, with very low amounts in plasma and peripheral tissues. Studies in human intestinal Caco-2 and human oesophageal HET-1A cells found very limited transcellular transport (Caco-2) of EA but high accumulation (Caco-2 and HET-1A) in the cells. In more detailed studies in the Caco-2 cells, accumulation of EA displayed ATP- and Na+-dependency. Multiple interventions permitted the exclusion of a number of transporters as mediators of this uptake. A dramatically reduced transport of EA at low pH (5.5) compared with high pH (7.4) suggested an important role for the negative charge of EA. This was supported by the organic anion transport inhibitors 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and bromosulfophthalein. The latter produced as much as 78% inhibition at the 100 microM concentration. Finally, Caco-2 cells were shown to express organic anion transporter 4 (OAT4) mRNA, as was the human large intestine. EA appears to be accumulated along the aerodigestive tract using OAT-like transporters, one of which might be OAT4.

Pharmacokinetics of anthocyanins and ellagic acid in healthy volunteers fed freeze-dried black raspberries daily for 7 days.

Eleven subjects completed a clinical trial to determine the safety/tolerability of freeze-dried black raspberries (BRB) and to measure, in plasma and urine, specific anthocyanins-cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-sambubioside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and cyanidin-3-xylosylrutinoside, as well as ellagic acid. Subjects were fed 45 g of freeze-dried BRB daily for 7 days. Blood samples were collected predose on days 1 and 7 and at 10 time points postdose. Urine was collected for 12 hours predose on days 1 and 7 and at three 4-hour intervals postdose. Maximum concentrations of anthocyanins and ellagic acid in plasma occurred at 1 to 2 hours, and maximum quantities in urine appeared from 0 to 4 hours. Overall, less than 1% of these compounds were absorbed and excreted in urine. None of the pharmacokinetic parameters changed significantly between days 1 and 7. In conclusion, 45 g of freeze-dried BRB daily are well tolerated and result in quantifiable anthocyanins and ellagic acid in plasma and urine.

Maternal dietary supplementation with pomegranate juice is neuroprotective in an animal model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and lacks effective therapies for prevention and treatment. Recently, interest in the biology of polyphenol compounds has led to the discovery that dietary supplementation with foods rich in polyphenols (e.g. blueberries, green tea extract) provides neuroprotection in adult animal models of ischemia and Alzheimer's disease. We sought to determine whether protection of the neonatal brain against a hypoxic-ischemic insult could be attained through supplementation of the maternal diet with pomegranate juice, notable for its high polyphenol content. Mouse dams were provided ad libitum access to drinking water with pomegranate juice, at one of three doses, as well as plain water, sugar water, and vitamin C water controls during the last third of pregnancy and throughout the duration of litter suckling. At postnatal day 7, pups underwent unilateral carotid ligation followed by exposure to 8% oxygen for 45 min. Brain injury was assessed histologically after 1 wk (percentage of tissue area loss) and biochemically after 24 h (caspase-3 activity). Dietary supplementation with pomegranate juice resulted in markedly decreased brain tissue loss (>60%) in all three brain regions assessed, with the highest pomegranate juice dose having greatest significance (p < or = 0.0001). Pomegranate juice also diminished caspase-3 activation by 84% in the hippocampus and 64% in the cortex. Ellagic acid, a polyphenolic component in pomegranate juice, was detected in plasma from treated but not control pups. These results demonstrate that maternal dietary supplementation with pomegranate juice is neuroprotective for the neonatal brain.

Bioavailability of ellagic acid in human plasma after consumption of ellagitannins from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice.

BACKGROUND: Ellagic acid (EA) and hydrolyzable ellagitannins (ETs) are dietary polyphenols found in fruits and nuts and implicated with potent antioxidant, anticancer and antiatherosclerotic biological properties. Unfortunately, there are no reports on the bioavailability studies of EA or ETs in the human body. We conducted in vivo studies whereby a human subject consumed pomegranate juice (PJ) (180 ml) containing EA (25 mg) and ETs (318 mg, as punicalagins, the major fruit ellagitannin). METHODS: A rapid plasma extraction procedure utilizing acidic precipitation of proteins, followed by HPLC-UV analyses, was employed. RESULTS: EA was detected in human plasma at a maximum concentration (31.9 ng/ml) after 1 h post-ingestion but was rapidly eliminated by 4 h. The calibration curve for quantification of EA was linear (r2 = 0.9975) over the concentration range from 1000 to 15.6 ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Since EA has reportedly strong affinity for proteins and poor absorption in small animals, further studies to investigate whether the presence of free EA in human plasma may be due to its release from the hydrolysis of ETs, facilitated by physiological pH and/or gut microflora action, is warranted. EA can be considered as a biomarker for future human bioavailability studies involving consumption of ETs from food sources.

Pharmacokinetic study of ellagic acid in rat after oral administration of pomegranate leaf extract.

Quantification of ellagic acid, the principal bioactive component of pomegranate leaf extract, in rats plasma following oral administration of pomegranate leaf extract was achieved by using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The calibration curve for ellagic acid was linear (r2=0.9998) ver the concentration range 0.026-1.3 microg/ml. The intra- and inter-day assays of ellagic acid from rat plasma were less than 6.52% at concentration range from 26 to 1300 ng/ml and good overall recoveries (94.5-102.4%) were found on same concentrations. The concentration-time profile was fitted with an open two-compartment system with lag time and its max concentration of ellagic acid in plasma was 213 ng/ml only 0.55 h after oral administration extract 0.8 g/kg. The pharmacokinetic profile indicates that ellagic acid has poor absorption and rapid elimination after oral administration pomegranate leaf extract, and part of it was absorbed from stomach.