Gastrointestinal Absorption of Ternatins, Polyacylated Anthocyanins Derived from Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) Petals in Rats

Abstract

Ternatins, polyacylated anthocyanins that contain two or more aromatic acyl groups, are found in the petals of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.). We examined the gastrointestinal absorption of ternatins in rats after oral administration of the extract of the butterfly pea petals. Ingested ternatins were absorbed rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract in their original acylated forms. Nine ternatins were detected, together with preternatin A3, in rat blood plasma at 15 min after oral administration. After a single oral dose of 0.0527 mmol/kg ternatin, the maximum plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration curve for total ternatin was 0.141 ± 0.035 μM and 16.398 ± 1.542 μM·min, respectively, during the 8-h period post-administration. The absorption of ternatins in blood plasma tended to negatively correlate with increasing order of molecular weight; however, ternatins carrying symmetrical substitution patterns and glucosyl terminals on the both side chains at the 3′ and 5′ positions of the aglycone were exceptionally bioavailable.