• Energy Research

It is becoming increasingly evident that ingested products, such as wine, may have profound effects on the therapeutic efficacy of certain drugs. As various xeno- and endobiotics are organic cations, the purpose of our study was to examine the modulation of organic cations intestinal apical uptake by red (RW) and white wine (WW). For this purpose, we used RW, WW, the same alcohol-free wines, phenolic compounds and ethanol. The uptake of the organic cation 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) was evaluated in Caco-2 cells, an intestinal epithelial cell model. RW and alcohol-free RW increased 3H-MPP+ apical uptake, although the effect of alcohol-free RW was less pronounced. On the other hand, WW and alcohol-free WW decreased the organic cation uptake but the effect of alcohol-free WW was more pronounced. Our results show that the total content in phenolic compounds was 7 times higher, and the dialysis index was about 4 times higher in RW compared to WW. Ethanol, in the same concentration found in wine, caused a significant decrease in 3H-MPP+ apical uptake. The solution containing high molecular weight compounds from dialyzed RW increased 3H-MPP+ apical uptake. In conclusion, the results suggest that RW may increase and WW may reduce the intestinal absorption of organic cations present in the diet, such as drugs or vitamins (e.g. thiamine and riboflavin). As ethanol alone decreased the uptake of MPP+, and alcohol-free RW and WW had a lower potency than intact wine upon the transport, the presence of ethanol is probably important for the solubilisation/bioavailability of the components endowed with the transport modulating activity.

ScopeThis study was designed to evaluate the influence of ethanol on the bioavailability of blackberry anthocyanins.Methods and resultsA total of 18 participants were recruited to consume 250 mL of a blackberry puree (650 mg of anthocyanins) without (BBP) or with 12% ethanol (BBP 12%). Venous blood was collected from participants at baseline and at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min after puree ingestion. Urine samples were collected at baseline and at 120 min. Plasma and urine concentration of anthocyanins and anthocyanin conjugates were quantified by HPLC‐DAD. Methyl‐cyanidin‐glucuronide (Me‐Cy‐Glucr) and 3′‐methyl‐cyanidin‐3‐glucoside (3′‐Me‐Cy3glc) were the main anthocyanin conjugates detected in all plasma and urine samples. Urinary concentration of these anthocyanin conjugates were positively correlated with their plasma concentration. Ethanol increased plasma Cmax of Me‐Cy‐Glucr and 3′‐Me‐Cy3glc. Participants were then stratified according to their body mass index (BMI) and body fat mass. After BBP consumption, plasma Cmax of Me‐Cy‐Glucr and 3′‐Me‐Cy3glc tended to be decreased in overweight/obese participants, in comparison to normal weight participants. The increase on plasma Cmax of Me‐Cy‐Glucr and 3′‐Me‐Cy3glc induced by ethanol was more pronounced in the group of overweight/obese participants.ConclusionsEthanol seems to enhance Cy3glc metabolism that appears to be compromised in overweight and obese individuals.

Phenolic acids are a particular group of small phenolic compounds which have exhibited some anti-biofilm activity, although the link between their activity and their intrinsic pH is not clear. Therefore, the present work examined the anti-biofilm activity (inhibition of biomass and metabolic activity) of phenolic acids in relation to the environmental pH, as well as other physico-chemical properties. The results indicate that, while Escherichia coli was not inhibited by the phenolic acids, both methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis were susceptible to the action of all phenolic acids, with the pH playing a relevant role in the activity: a neutral pH favored MRSE inhibition, while acidic conditions favored MRSA inhibition. Some links between molecular polarity and size were associated only with their potential as metabolic inhibitors, with the overall interactions hinting at a membrane-based mechanism for MRSA and a cytoplasmic effect for MRSE.