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European Journal of Nutrition
Published in: European Journal of Nutrition 1/2016

01-02-2016 | Original Contribution

Comparing the metabolism of quercetin in rats, mice and gerbils

Authors: Shu-Lan Yeh, Yi-Chin Lin, Yi-Ling Lin, Chien-Chun Li, Cheng-Hung Chuang

Published in: European Journal of Nutrition | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

Several species of rodents are used to investigate the metabolism of quercetin in vivo. However, it is unclear whether they are a proper animal model. Thus, we compared the metabolism of quercetin in Wistar rats (rats), Balb/c mice (mice) and Mongolian gerbils (gerbils).

Methods

We determined the levels of quercetin metabolites, quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G), quercetin-3′-sulfate (Q3′S) and methyl-quercetin isorhamnetin (IH), in the plasma, lungs and livers of three species of animals by high-performance liquid chromatography after acute and/or chronic quercetin administration. The metabolic enzyme activities in the intestinal mucosal membrane and liver were also investigated.

Results

First, we found that after acute quercetin administration, the Q3′S level was the highest in gerbils. However, after long-term supplementation (20 weeks), Q3G was the dominant metabolite in the plasma, lungs and livers followed by IH and Q3′S in all animals, although the gerbils still had a higher Q3′S conversion ratio. The average concentrations of total quercetin concentration in the plasma of gerbils were the highest in both short- and long-term studies. The activities of uridine 5′-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase, phenolsulfotransferase and catechol-O-methyltransferase were induced by quercetin in a dose- and tissue-dependent manner in all animals.

Conclusions

Taken together, in general, after long-term supplementation the metabolism of quercetin is similar in all animals and is comparable to that of humans. However, the accumulation of quercetin and Q3′S conversion ratio in gerbils are higher than those in the other animals.
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Metadata
Title
Comparing the metabolism of quercetin in rats, mice and gerbils
Authors
Shu-Lan Yeh
Yi-Chin Lin
Yi-Ling Lin
Chien-Chun Li
Cheng-Hung Chuang
Publication date
01-02-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Nutrition / Issue 1/2016
Print ISSN: 1436-6207
Electronic ISSN: 1436-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0862-9

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