Urinary Excretion of Cyanidin Glucosides and Glucuronides in Healthy Humans After Elderberry Juice Ingestion

Abstract

In a pilot study with 6 females and 1 male, the metabolism of various cyanidin glucosides after oral administration of elderberry juice was investigated. The anthocyanin metabolites were detected in urinary excretion. After ingestion of a bolus quantity of3.57g total anthocyanins in a150mL elderberry juice concentrate,0.053% of the administered dose was excreted in urine as glucosidically bound cyanidins within the first 5 hours. Only0.003% of the ingested anthocyanin glucosides was excreted as cyanidin glucuronide, suggesting that this conversion step might be of minor importance in urinary excretion.