ABSTRACT Quercetin is the most abundant flavonoid involved in the daily diet. High intake of quercetin is correlated with lower incidence of asthma, type 2 diabetes, and lower concentration of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in the plasma. Quercetin possesses potential clinical applications and after absorption it is converted to several conjugated forms. Thus for a proper application, it is important to understand its pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. In vegetables, most of quercetin is involved as quercetin glycosides. Absorption of quercetin glycoside is more efficient than that of quercetin aglycone or quercetin rutinoside. After absorption, most of the quercetin in circulation is conjugated form with glucuronide. Thus, pharmacological properties of quercetin is likely a reflection of the function of its conjugated form. The plasma concentration of quercetin after ingestion decreases slowly, and thus repeated intake of quercetin will lead to accumulation in plasma to show its beneficial activities.
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