SUSTAINABLE INTAKE OF POMEGRANATE JUICE OVER A 4 WEEKS-PERIOD INDUCES IMPORTANT CHANGES IN HUMAN FAECAL METABOLITES

MOSSE JUANA INÉS; GOSALBES MARÍA JOSÉ; MACIÀ ALBA; ROMERO MARI PAZ

Lisboa

Congreso; VII Congress on Poliphenols Applications; 2014

Dietary strategies are considered an important protective factor to combat chronic diseases. Intake of phenolic compounds, natural occurred compounds with antioxidant and antiflamatory properties, has convincing clinic and in vitro results in terms of diseases prevention. Pomegranate is one of the most rich-polyphenol foods, with ellagitannins and anthocyanins as the major phenolic compounds. Both substances are poor absorbed in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, they reach the colon where are exposed to local bacteria catabolism. Large intestine metabolism, mediated by gut microbiota, transforms pomegranate phenolic compounds in related metabolites with major biodisponibility and bioactivity. In order to evaluate if a sustainable intake of pomegranate juice (200 mL/day) was able to modify faecal metabolite profile and modulate the local bacteria population in humans, a comparative study was carried out in order to estimate if daily intake of pomegranate juice over a 4 weeks-period causes beneficial modifications to the host. Our results have reveled different partners of urolithins metabolism. Of the total volunteers (n=10), six have showed an increase in the amount of tri and di hydroxy urolithins, two participants were di and mono hydroxy urolithins producers whereas urolithins were not detected in two individuals. Anthocyans were not identify in feaces before pomegranate juice intervention, instead cyanidin 3-glucoside was presented in 8 out 10 volunteers after 4 weeks of diet intervention. To evaluate the gut microbiota modulation ability of pomegranate juice, faecal microbiota before and after intervention will be characterized using 16S RNA gene analysis. Inclusion of pomegranate juice in the dairy diet seems to provide and extra polyphenols source with associated health benefits