3-4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic-acid and phenylacetic-acid

The separation and detection of 11 urinary aromatic acids was developed using HPLC-MS/MS. The method features a simple sample preparation involving a single-step dilution with internal standard and a rapid 8 min chromatographic separation. The accuracy was evaluated by the recovery of known spikes between 87 and 110%. Inter- and intra-assay precision (CV) was below 11% in all cases and the analytes were observed to be stable for up to 8 weeks when stored at -20 degrees C. The method was validated based upon linearity, accuracy, precision and stability and was used to establish reference intervals for children and adults.

Topics: Acids, Heterocyclic; Adult; Caffeic Acids; Carboxylic Acids; Child; Chromatography, Liquid; Hippurates; Homovanillic Acid; Humans; Kynurenic Acid; Parabens; Phenylacetates; Reproducibility of Results; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Vanilmandelic Acid; Xanthurenates

Phenolic compounds are not completely absorbed in the small intestine and so enter the colon, where they might exert physiological effects. To identify phenolics that are present in normal human colon, fecal water was prepared from 5 free-living volunteers with no dietary restrictions and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Daily measurements were also performed on a single individual to examine the variation more closely. Levels of polyphenols were variable between individuals. Naringenin and quercetin had mean concentrations of 1.20 and 0.63 microM. All other flavonoids examined were present < or =0.17 microM. Simple phenolic and other aromatic acids were present at much higher concentrations. The major components were phenylacetic acid, 479 microM; 3-phenylpropionic acid, 166 microM; 3-(4-hydroxy)-phenylpropionic acid, 68 microM; 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid, 52 microM; benzoic acid, 51 microM; 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 46 microM; and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 19 microM. Other phenolic acids ranged from 0.04 to 7 microM. Decreased dietary phenolic intake caused a decrease in polyphenol and monophenolic acid concentration in fecal water 24 h later. This study is the first to measure the range of aromatic compounds in human fecal water and demonstrates that phenolic acid concentrations are high. The biological effects of phenolics may play an important role in colon function.

Topics: Adult; Benzoic Acid; Caffeic Acids; Colon; Diet; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Feces; Flavanones; Flavonoids; Free Radicals; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Intestine, Small; Male; Models, Chemical; Phenol; Phenols; Phenylacetates; Phenylpropionates; Polyphenols; Quercetin; Time Factors