Purpose: Polyphenol metabolites are key mediators of the biological activities of polyphenols. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of a high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) diet on the metabolism of proanthocyanidins from grape seed extract (GSE).
Methods: Adult female Wistar-Kyoto rats were fed a standard (STD) or HFHS diet supplemented or not with GSE for 16 weeks. PA metabolites were determined by targeted HPLC-MS/MS analysis.
Results: A lower concentration of total microbial-derived PA metabolites was present in urine and the aqueous fraction of faeces in the HFHS + GSE group than in the STD + GSE group. In contrast, a tendency towards the formation of conjugated (epi)catechin metabolites in the HFHS + GSE group was observed.
Conclusions: These results show that a HFHS diet significantly modifies PA metabolism, probably via: (1) a shift in microbial communities not counteracted by the polyphenols themselves; and (2) an up-regulation of hepatic enzymes.
Keywords: Bioavailability; High-fat high-sucrose diet; Metabolites; Polyphenols; Proanthocyanidins.