Effect of ellagitannins on the sustainable survival of beneficial intestinal bacteria

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24580184
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Food science
• Research Institution: Okayama Prefectural University (2013-2014); Okayama University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: ITO HIDEYUKI 岡山県立大学, 保健福祉学部, 教授 (70253002)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 腸内細菌 / ビフィズス菌 / エラジタンニン / 整腸作用 / プレバイオティクス / ポリフェノール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the effect of pomegranate arils on survival of beneficial intestinal bacteria (Bifidobacterium longum) to improve the intestinal microbial balance. The aril extract showed the survival effect on B. longum. We explored metabolites derived from gallagyl moiety in rat urine after administration of punicalagin. Urolithin A was observed 12-96 h after the ingestion of punicalagin, suggesting that a hexahydroxydiphenoyl group in the molecule was converted to urolithin A. We further investigated the isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive constituents from edible pomegranate arils. Two new ellagitannin oligomers, pomegraniins A and B, a new glucose ester of neolignan, pomegralignan, and 6-O-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-1-O-galloylglucose were isolated from the arils of pomegranate. Six known ellagitannins were also isolated from the pericarps of pomegranate. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical evidence.

Free Research Field

食品化学，天然物化学