Nutr Res Pract.  2009 Mar;3(1):9-14.

Intestinal absorption of aloin, aloe-emodin, and aloesin; A comparative study using two in vitro absorption models

• Park MY
• Kwon HJ
• Sung MK

Abstract

Aloe products are one of the top selling health-functional foods in Korea, however the adequate level of intake to achieve desirable effects are not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine the intestinal uptake and metabolism of physiologically active aloe components using in vitro intestinal absorption model. The Caco-2 cell monolayer and the everted gut sac were incubated with 5-50 micrometer of aloin, aloe-emodin, and aloesin. The basolateral appearance of test compounds and their glucuronosyl or sulfated forms were quantified using HPLC. The % absorption of aloin, aloe-emodin, and aloesin was ranged from 5.51% to 6.60%, 6.60% to 11.32%, and 7.61% to 13.64%, respectively. Up to 18.15%, 18.18%, and 38.86% of aloin, aloe-emodin, and aloesin, respectively, was absorbed as glucuronidated or sulfated form. These results suggest that a significant amount is transformed during absorption. The absorption rate of test compounds except aloesin was similar in two models; more aloesin was absorbed in the everted gut sac than in the Caco-2 monolayer. These results provide information to establish adequate intake level of aloe supplements to maintain effective plasma level.

Keyword

Aloin; aloe-emodin; aloesin; intestinal absorption

MeSH Terms

Absorption
Aloe
Caco-2 Cells
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Chromones
Emodin
Glucosides
Humans
Intestinal Absorption
Korea
Plasma
Chromones
Emodin
Glucosides

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Chemical structures of aloin, aloe-emodin and aloesin

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  Fig. 2 Percent absorptions of aloe components in Caco-2 monolayer model and everted gut sac model. To measure the absorption in everted gut sac model, aloin, aloe-emodin, or aloesin solutions (10 µM) were incubated with everted gut sac for 1 hr at 37℃. After the incubation, the solutions in the sacs were assayed by HPLC. The amounts of the glucuronides/sulfates conjugates were calculated by the difference between the amounts of aloin, aloe-emodin, or aloesin from sulfatase-treated samples and those from untreated samples. Values are means ± S.D. Means with letters (a, b, c) within a column are significantly different from each other at p<0.05 as determined by Duncan's multiple range test. Means with # is significantly different from corresponding everted gut sac, #<0.01.

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