Biotransformation of (-)-Epicatechin 3-O-Gallate by Human Intestinal Bacteria (original) (raw)

Abstract

The biotransformation of (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate (1) and related compounds was undertaken using a human fecal suspension. Of fifteen metabolites isolated, four compounds were new, namely, two epimers of 1-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(2", 4", 6"-trihydroxyphenyl)propan-2-ols (6, 19); 2", 3"-dihydroxyphenoxyl 3-(3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl)propionate (14) and 1-(3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-(2", 4", 6"-trihydroxyphenyl)propan-2-ol (18).(-)-Epicatechin (2), (-)-epigallocatechin (16) and their 3-O-gallates (1, 17) were extensively metabolized by a human fecal suspension after incubation for 24h, whereas the gallates (1, 17) resisted any degradation by a rat fecal suspension, even after a prolonged incubation time (48h), suggesting a difference in metabolic ability between two intestinal bacterial mixtures from different species.