Understanding biochemical pathways involved in the metabolism of natural polyphenols in mammals might represent one of major challenges in future research in this field. Epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies have shown that the dietary intake of flavonoids confers protection against many chronic diseases. Anthocyanins are among the most common flavonoids in human diet. Following their oral ingestion they are rapidly detected in plasma and organs both as intact compounds and as metabolites of phase 1 and phase 2 biotransformation. However, at present the detailed metabolic pathways of anthocyanin metabolism in mammals still remain largely unknown. In our study cyanidin 3-glucoside was administered at low dose intravenously in anaesthetised rats. The tissue distribution and metabolism of cyanidin 3-glucoside was investigated using both target and non-target UPLC-MS-MS and UPLC-Q-TOF analytical approach. The target approach was used to determine cyanidin 3-glucoside and its metabolites in plasma, liver, kidney and urine. It was found that the kidney was the organ accounting for most of cyanidin 3-glucoside uptake and metabolism. The further aim of this work was also to apply the non-target analytical approach in order to investigate diverse tissue-specific metabolites which might be involved in the metabolism of cyanidin 3-glucoside.
