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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2007
Quantitative data on phyto-oestrogen, particularly lignan, content in edible plants are insufficient. We, therefore, measured isoflavonoids and lignans in nine edible berries using an isotope dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method for foods and found substantial concentrations of the lignan secoisolariciresinol (1·39–37·18 mg/kg DM), low amounts of matairesinol (0–0·78 mg/kg DM) and no isoflavones. To determine pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion pattern of the mammalian lignan enterolactone derived from plant lignans, a study with human subjects was conducted. Five healthy women and two men consumed, after a 72 h period of a phyto-oestrogen-free regimen, a single strawberry-meal containing known amounts of plant lignans. Basal and post-meal blood and urine samples were collected at short intervals. The samples were analysed using time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of enterolactone. The meal increased plasma concentration of enterolactone after 8–24 h and in urine in the 13–24 h and 25–36 h urine collections. High individual variability of the metabolic response was observed. Enterolactone excreted in the urine collected throughout the 48 h post-meal yielded on average 114 % of the plant lignans consumed. It is concluded that berries containing relatively high concentrations of plant lignans contribute to plasma and urinary levels of mammalian enterolactone in human subjects.