Scope: This study aims to characterize the phytochemicals in commonly consumed herbs/spices (H/S) in the United States and their pharmacokinetic profile (PK) over 24 h in humans after consumption.
Method and results: The clinical trial is a randomized, single-blinded, four-arm, 24 h, multi-sampling, single-center crossover design (Clincaltrials.gov NCT03926442) conducted in obese/overweight adults (n = 24, aged 37 ± 3 years, BMI = 28.4 ± 0.6 kg m-2 ). Study subjects consume a high-fat high-carbohydrate meal with salt and pepper (control) or the control meal with 6 g of three different H/S mixtures (Italian herb: rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley in the same ratio; cinnamon; and pumpkin pie spice containing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, the ratio is unknown). Three H/S mixtures are analyzed and 79 phytochemicals are tentatively identified and quantified. Following H/S consumption, 47 metabolites are tentatively identified and quantified in plasma samples. The PK data suggest that some metabolites appear in blood as early as 0.5 h while others can extend up to 24 h.
Conclusion: Phytochemicals from H/S include in a meal are absorbed and undergo phase I and phase II metabolism and/or catabolized to phenolic acids peaking at different times.
Keywords: UHPLC-MS/MS; clinical trial; herbs and spices; metabolites; pharmacokinetics.
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