Ruminal degradation of quercetin and its influence on fermentation in ruminants

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the ruminal degradation of the flavonol quercetin and to determine its potential antimicrobial effects on ruminal fermentation in cows. Ruminal degradation of quercetin (0 or 100μmol/L, respectively) as well as its influence on ruminal gas production (0, 50, or 100μmol of quercetin equivalents/L, respectively, either applied as aglycone or as its glucorhamnoside rutin) using concentrate, grass hay, and straw as substrates were investigated in vitro using the Hohenheim gas test. Additionally, the influence of quercetin on ruminal concentrations of volatile fatty acids and their molar ratio in rumen-fistulated, nonlactating cows (n=5) after intraruminal application of quercetin as aglycone or as rutin (0, 10, or 50mg of quercetin equivalents/kg of BW, respectively) was evaluated. Quercetin was rapidly and extensively degraded, whereby the disappearance of quercetin was accompanied by the simultaneous appearance of 2metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 4-methylcatechol. In vitro total gas and methane production were not reduced by the addition of quercetin aglycone or rutin, respectively, using concentrate, grass hay, and straw as substrates. As expected, however, effects of the substrates used were detected on total gas and methane production. Highest gas production was found with concentrate, whereas values obtained with grass hay and straw were lower. Relative methane production was highest with grass hay compared with concentrate and straw (27.1 vs. 25.0 and 25.5%). After intraruminal application of the quercetin aglycone or rutin, respectively, neither total concentration nor the molar ratio of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid were influenced. Results of the present study show that quercetin underlies rapid ruminal degradation, whereby 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 4-methylcatechol are the main metabolites, whereas the latter one most likely is formed by dehydroxylation from 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Regarding antimicrobial effects of quercetin, results obtained indicate that fermentation processes in the forestomachs are not substantially influenced by quercetin or rutin, respectively. With regard to potential health-promoting effects of quercetin, its application in cows, especially in the form of the better available rutin, might not be accompanied by negative effects on ruminal fermentation.

<em>In Vitro</em> Ruminal Fermentation and Methane Production of PUFA-Containing Rations as Treated by Flavonoid and Essential Oil from <em>Piper betle</em> L.

“…These results were literally similar with recently study by Oskoueian et al [15] and Sallam et al [26]. However, Berger et al [21] reported quercetin had no affection on mitigating methane production, even Kim et al [23] suggested a shift of methane accumulation depending on quercetin sources. A lower methane production could be predicted because quercetin and eugenol intruded short chain fatty acid, gathering more propionate leading to hydrogen lower to supply methanogenesis.…”

“…It might elaborate role of bacterial rumen undertakes major nutrient, especially fibre's group by more possessively attachment and colonization in the diet due to maintenance metabolism. These results were similar with recently studies when diet supplementing with quercetin [21] and incubating single SO [22], tough, unsimilar with dietary eugenol [24]. Lourenço et al [25] compared quercetin and eugenol on in vitro incubation had a different way to produce total VFA.…”

“…In this study, adjusting level of PP showed an impressively accumulating gas production (p < 0.001). Even tough, several studies claimed existing pure flavonoid in diet incubation with sunflower oil no change of gas production [21,22], even Kim…”

The Effect of Zinc and/or Herbal Nutraceuticals on Rumen Fermentation, Microbiota and Histopathology in Lambs

“…The mix of the dry medicinal herbs used in the present experiment has great concentrations of avonoids especially of quercetin (7.6 mg/g DM) [15]. In cows, after intra-ruminal application (10 and 50 mg/kg BW), quercetin is an extensively degraded avonoid by ruminal microbiota without negative effects on ruminal fermentation [36]. However, the administration of some avonoids with antimicrobial properties can affect the gastrointestinal microbiota.…”

Mulberry Leaf Flavonoids Improve Milk Production, Antioxidant, and Metabolic Status of Water Buffaloes

“…The most promising activities of flavonoids in addition to antioxidants; are their potential to modulate different metabolic pathways especially those linked with energy homeostasis in the body. Due to structural homology with estrogenic hormones, flavonoids exhibit similar anabolic functions through modulation of key lipid and carbohydrate metabolic pathways (15,16). Mulberry leaf extract has shown to upregulate the activities of glycolytic enzymes while downregulating gluconeogenic enzymes through modulation of gene and transcriptional factors involved in glucose homeostasis in the liver of mice (17).…”