Flavanone plasma pharmacokinetics from blood orange juice in human subjects

Some blood orange juice (BOJ) flavanones may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, hypolipidaemic, vasoprotective and anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of hesperetin and naringenin in human subjects after BOJ intake. In a cross-over study, seven healthy female volunteers consumed 150 and 300 ml BOJ corresponding to about 51-102 mg hesperetin and to 6-12 mg naringenin, respectively. Plasma samples were collected before, each hour for 8 It and 24 It after BOJ administration and analysed for their content of hesperetin and naringenin by liquid chromatography - MS/MS. The plasma concentrations of these compounds were dose dependent and the peak concentration (C-max) was reached in 5 center dot 1 (SD 0 center dot 6) h after BOJ intake. The Cma, of hesperetin was 43 center dot 4 (SD 32 center dot 4) and 79 center dot 8 (SD 60 center dot 1) ng/ml after 150 and 300 ml intake, respectively. For naringenin the plasma peak was 16 center dot 4 (SD 11 center dot 9) and 34.0 (SD 20 center dot 6) ng/ml. Moreover, the conjugated forms of these flavanones represent more than 95 % of the plasma concentration. The results indicate that both hesperetin and naringenin are bioavailable after BOJ intake; naringenin seemingly more so than hesperetin.