Project Number: 6621-41000-012-05
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Mar 12, 2007
End Date: Jan 31, 2012

Objective:
The objective of this research is to characterize the metabolism and biological activities of citrus polymethoxylated flavones and furanocoumarins in animals. Specifically, metabolites of these compounds will be analyzed to measure rates and levels of uptake. Another objective is to test whether these lipophilic compounds cause inhibition of key cellular transport proteins and whether they might also act as ligands to nuclear receptors.

Approach:
Phenolic compounds from citrus byproducts will be extracted and isolated by the ARS. This will be done by conventional low and high-pressure chromatography. These compounds will be administered to animals (mice and rats) at the obesity center at Texas A&M University, tissues will be obtained and extracted, and these materials will be analyzed for metabolites. These analyses will be conducted by the ARS using HPLC-mass spectrometry. These compounds will also be used in cell culture assay to test for inhibition of cellular transport proteins. These assays will be run by published methods. These compounds, as lipid analogs, will also be tested in these cultured cells for their abilities to modulate lipid metabolism and thus influence lipid and triglyceride levels in animals.