The bioavailability and anti-inflammatory activity of the phenolic compounds derived from gastrointestinal digestates of navy bean and light red kidney bean milks and yogurts were investigated in both Caco-2 mono- and Caco-2/EA.hy926 co-culture cell models. Instead of being transported directly, the ferulic acid ester derivatives in common bean milks and yogurts were found to be metabolized into ferulic acid and then be transported through the Caco-2 cell monolayer with an average basolateral ferulic acid concentration of 56 ± 3 ng/mL after 2 h. Strong anti-inflammatory effects were observed in the basolateral EA.hy926 cells of the co-culture model, and modulations of oxLDL-induced inflammatory mediators by the transported phenolics were verified to be through the p38 MAPK pathway. The present results suggest that the common bean-derived phenolics can be metabolized and absorbed by the intestinal epithelial cells and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against oxidative stress injury in vascular endothelial cells, hence contributing to the amelioration of vascular diseases.
Keywords: Caco-2/EA.hy926 co-culture; anti-inflammatory; common beans; phenolics; transepithelial transport.