Chronic low-grade inflammation is a characteristic of ageing that may lead to alterations in health status and quality of life. In addition to intrinsic biological factors, recent data suggest that poor nutritional habits may largely contribute to this condition. The present study aimed at assessing mental and physical components of quality of life and at determining their relationship to vitamin E status, inflammation and tryptophan (TRP) metabolism in the elderly. Sixty-nine elderly subjects recruited from the Three-City cohort study participated in the study. Quality of life was assessed using the medical outcomes study thirty-six-item short-form health survey (SF-36). Biological assays included the measurement of plasma vitamin E (α-tocopherol), inflammatory markers, including IL-6 and C-reactive protein, and TRP metabolism. Results showed that participants with poor physical health status, as assessed by the SF-36, exhibited lower circulating concentrations of α-tocopherol together with increased concentrations of inflammatory markers. Similarly, poor mental health scores on the SF-36 were associated with lower concentrations of α-tocopherol, but also with decreased concentrations of TRP. These findings indicate that nutritional status, notably as it relates to vitamin E, is associated with immune function and quality of life in the elderly.

The proposed impact of slowly digestible sources of dietary carbohydrate in reducing the risk of developing obesity and related metabolic disorders remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare the postprandial metabolic response to the ingestion of glucose v. trehalose. We hypothesised that the reduced digestion and absorption rate of trehalose is accompanied by an attenuated glycaemic and insulinaemic response, leading to a less inhibited postprandial fat oxidation rate. In a randomised, single-blind, cross-over study, ten overweight subjects ingested two carbohydrate drinks (75 g carbohydrate equivalents of trehalose or glucose) following an overnight fast (08.40 hours) and together with a standardised mixed meal (12.30 hours; 25 % total energy content was provided as either glucose or trehalose). Blood samples were collected before ingestion and every 30 min thereafter for a period of 3 h; substrate use was assessed by indirect calorimetry and expired breath samples were collected. Ingestion of carbohydrates with a mixed meal resulted in a lower peak glucose response and a lower change in area under the curve (ΔAUC) following trehalose when compared with glucose. Differences in peak insulin response and ΔAUC were observed with trehalose when compared with glucose during the morning and afternoon. These differences were accompanied with a reduced carbohydrate oxidation after trehalose when ingested as a drink, whilst no significant differences in fat oxidation between drink were observed.

Solving complex problems in large-scale research programmes requires cooperation and division of labour. Simultaneously, large-scale problem solving also gives rise to unintended side effects. Based upon 5 years of researching two large-scale nutrigenomic research programmes, we argue that problems are fragmented in order to be solved. These sub-problems are given priority for practical reasons and in the process of solving them, various changes are introduced in each sub-problem. Combined with additional diversity as a result of interdisciplinarity, this makes reassembling the original and overall goal of the research programme less likely. In the case of nutrigenomics and health, this produces a diversification of health. As a result, the public health goal of contemporary nutrition science is not reached in the large-scale research programmes we studied. Large-scale research programmes are very successful in producing scientific publications and new knowledge; however, in reaching their political goals they often are less successful.

Whole grains are associated with decreased risk of chronic disease and decreased risk of obesity. Several mechanisms may be involved including SCFA production via fibre fermentation in the colon. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of wheat bran particle size (large/coarse v. small/fine) and wheat bran fraction (whole bran v. aleurone v. aleurone by-product) in SCFA production using a batch in vitro fermentation system with human faecal inoculum. Five samples were compared: large-particle bran, small-particle bran, aleurone, coarse by-product, fine by-product. Fine by-product produced the greatest SCFA concentrations. By-product (both coarse and fine) produced greater SCFA concentrations than bran (both large and small particle sizes). Aleurone produced SCFA concentrations similar to small-particle bran. The molar percentage of butyrate at 24 h was significantly greater for large-particle bran than the other samples. Small/fine particle size and by-product fraction of bran increased SCFA production compared with large/coarse particle size, and aleurone and whole bran. Bran characteristics and composition should be considered when manufacturing foods due to the diversity of physiological effects.

The impact of slow digestible sources of dietary carbohydrate in reducing the risk of developing obesity and related metabolic disorders is unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare the postprandial metabolic response to the ingestion of sucrose v. isomaltulose. We hypothesised that the reduced digestion and absorption rate of isomaltulose would result in lower glycaemic and insulinaemic responses when compared with the ingestion of sucrose, leading to greater postprandial fat oxidation rates. In a randomised, single-blind, cross-over study, ten overweight subjects ingested two different carbohydrate drinks (sucrose and isomaltulose, 75 g carbohydrate equivalents) following an overnight fast (08.40 hours) and with a standardised meal (12.30 hours, 25 % of total energy content was provided as either a sucrose or isomaltulose drink). Blood samples were taken before ingestion and every 30 min thereafter for a period of 3 h, substrate use was assessed by indirect calorimetry and breath samples were collected. Ingestion of carbohydrates with a mixed meal resulted in a lower peak glucose and insulin response and a lower change in area under the curve (ΔAUC) following isomaltulose when compared with sucrose. Together with the lower glucose and insulin responses, postprandial fat oxidation rates were higher (14 %) with isomaltulose when compared with sucrose when ingested with a mixed meal (P = 0·02). The attenuated rise in glucose and insulin concentrations following isomaltulose results in reduced inhibition of postprandial fat oxidation. The metabolic response to isomaltulose co-ingestion suggests that this may represent an effective nutritional strategy to counteract overweight-induced metabolic disturbances.

Although chronic fish oil intervention had been shown to have a positive impact on vascular reactivity, very little is known about their acute effects during the postprandial phase. Our aim was to examine the impact of a fish oil-enriched test meal on postprandial vascular reactivity in healthy younger ( < 50 years) v. older ( ≥ 50 years) men. Vascular reactivity was measured at baseline (0 h), 2 and 4 h after the meal by laser Doppler iontophoresis and blood samples taken at 0 and 4 h for the measurement of plasma lipids, total nitrite, glucose and insulin. Acetylcholine- (ACh, endothelial-dependent vasodilator) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, endothelial-independent vasodilator)-induced reactivities were greater at 4 h than at baseline or 2 h in the younger men (P < 0·04). These changes were not observed in the older men. Comparison of the male groups revealed significantly greater responses to ACh (P = 0·006) and SNP (P = 0·05) at 4 h in the younger compared with the older males. Postprandial NEFA concentrations were also greater at 4 h in the younger compared with the older men (P = 0·005), with no differences observed for any of the other analytes. Multiple regression analysis revealed age to be the most significant predictor of both ACh and SNP induced reactivity 4 h after the meal. In conclusion, the ingestion of a meal enriched in fish oil fatty acids was shown to improve postprandial vascular reactivity at 4 h in our younger men, with little benefit evident in our older men.

Myocardial infarction (MI) stimulates the release of pro-inflammatory substances that induce apoptosis in the limbic system. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are considered as the root cause of apoptosis, although the mechanism is not fully explained and/or understood at this time. In addition, depression may induce gastrointestinal perturbations that maintain the elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. It has been shown that some specific probiotic formulations may reduce gastrointestinal problems induced by stress and the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine ratio. Therefore, we hypothesised that probiotics, when given prophylactically, may diminish the apoptosis propensity in the limbic system following a MI. Male adult Sprague–Dawley rats were given probiotics (Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum in combination) or placebo in their drinking-water for four consecutive weeks. A MI was then induced in the rats by occluding the left anterior coronary artery for 40 min. Rats were killed following a 72 h reperfusion period. Infarct size was not different in the two groups. Bax/Bcl-2 (pro-apoptotic/anti-apoptotic) ratio and caspase-3 (pro-apoptotic) activity were reduced in the amygdala (lateral and medial), as well as in the dentate gyrus in the probiotics group when compared with the placebo. Akt activity (anti-apoptotic) was increased in these same three regions. No significant difference was observed in Ca1 and Ca3 for the different markers measured. In conclusion, the probiotics L. helveticus and B. longum, given in combination as preventive therapy, reduced the predisposition of apoptosis found in different cerebral regions following a MI.

d-chiro-inositol (DCI) and pinitol (1d-3-O-methyl-chiro-inositol) are distinctive inositols reported to possess insulin-mimetic properties. DCI-containing compounds are abundant in common laboratory animal feed. By GC–MS of 6 m-HCl hydrolysates, Purina Laboratory Rodent Diet 5001 (diet 5001) contained 0·23 % total DCI by weight with most found in the lucerne and soya meal components. In contrast, only traces of l-chiro-inositol were observed. The DCI moiety was present in a water-soluble non-ionic form of which most was shown to be pinitol. To measure the absorption of dietary inositols, rats were fed diet 5001 in a balance study or given purified pinitol or [2H6]DCI. More than 98 % of the total DCI fed to rats as diet 5001, purified pinitol or [2H6]DCI was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Rats chronically on diet 5001 consumed 921 μmol total DCI/kg body weight per d but excreted less than 5·3 % in the stools and urine, suggesting that the bulk was metabolised. The levels of pinitol or DCI in plasma, stools or urine remained relatively stable in mice fed Purina PicoLab® Rodent Diet 20 5053 over a 5-week period, whereas these values declined to very low levels in mice fed a pinitol/DCI-deficient chemically defined diet. To test whether DCI was synthesised or converted from myo-inositol, mice were treated with heavy water or [2H6]myo-inositol. DCI was neither synthesised endogenously from 2H-labelled water nor converted from [2H6]myo-inositol. DCI and pinitol in rodents appear to be derived solely from the diet.

Pomace olive oil (POM), an olive oil subproduct traditionally used in Spain, is a good source of minor components from the unsaponifiable fraction such as triterpenoids, mainly in the form of oleanolic acid, which induces vascular protection and vasodilatation. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of long-term intake of diets enriched in POM with high concentration in oleanolic acid on endothelial dysfunction associated to hypertension in small mesenteric arteries (SMA) from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). During 12 weeks, rats (six rats per group) were fed either a control 2 % maize oil diet (BD), or high-fat diets containing 15 % refined olive oil (OL), pomace olive oil (POM), or pomace olive oil supplemented in oleanolic acid (POMO; up to 800 parts per million). Endothelial and vascular functions were assessed by relaxing or contracting responses to acetylcholine (ACh) or phenylephrine, respectively. The involvement of endothelium-derived relaxing factors in these responses was evaluated. In contrast to BD, SHR fed high-fat diets showed a biphasic response to ACh related to changes in eicosanoid metabolism. POM enhanced the endothelial function in SMA from SHR by increasing the endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF)-type component, whereas administration of POMO resulted in a similar contribution of NO/EDHF in the endothelial response to ACh. The present study shows that despite the lack of changes in blood pressure, consumption of POM improves endothelial function in SMA from SHR by improving the agonist-mediated EDHF/NO response. Thus, triterpenoids confer a protective role to POM against endothelial dysfunction in hypertension.

Previously we have examined the effects of diets deficient in folic acid ( − F) or folate deficient with low methionine and choline ( − F LM LC) on the relative abundance of soluble proteins in the liver of the pregnant rat. In the present study we report the corresponding changes in the fetal liver at day 21 of gestation. The abundance of eighteen proteins increased when dams were fed the − F diet. When dams were fed the − F LM LC diet, thirty-three proteins increased and eight decreased. Many of the differentially abundant proteins in the fetal liver could be classified into the same functional groups as those previously identified in the maternal liver, namely protein synthesis, metabolism, lipid metabolism and proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and endoplasmic reticulum. The pattern was consistent with reduced cell proliferation in the − F LM LC group but not in the − F group. Metabolic enzymes associated with lipid metabolism changed in both the − F and − F LM LC groups. The mRNA for carnitine palmitoyl transferase were up-regulated and CD36 (fatty acid translocase) down-regulated in the − F group, suggesting increased mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acids as an indirect response to altered maternal lipid metabolism. In the − F LM LC group the mRNA for acetyl CoA carboxylase was down-regulated, suggesting reduced fatty acid synthesis. The mRNA for transcriptional regulators including PPARα and sterol response element-binding protein-1c were unchanged. These results suggest that an adequate supply of folic acid and the related methyl donors may benefit fetal development directly by improving lipid metabolism in fetal as well as maternal tissues.

In broiler chickens, a diet where the major cereal types are wheat, rye and/or barley has a lower digestibility compared with a diet in which maize is the major cereal type. In the present study, the effects of two different dietary cereal types, maize v. wheat/rye, on host factors (inflammation and gut integrity) and gut microbiota composition were studied. In addition, the effects of low-dose Zn-bacitracin supplementation were examined. Broilers given a wheat/rye-based diet showed more villus fusion, a thinner tunica muscularis, more T-lymphocyte infiltration, higher amount of immune cell aggregates in the mucosa, more and larger goblet cells and more apoptosis of epithelial cells in the mucosa than those given a maize-based diet. Adding Zn-bacitracin generally reversed these alterations. The microbiota composition was analysed by the use of terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism, showing changes in the microbiota composition depending on the cereal type used in the diets. The effect of the change of cereal type on the gut microbiota composition was larger than that of Zn-bacitracin supplementation. In conclusion, a wheat/rye-based diet evoked mucosal damage, an alteration in the composition of the microbiota and an inflammatory bowel type of condition.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are procarcinogens that can be commonly found in our food and environment. Upon biotransformation in our body system, they can cause DNA damage through the generation of genotoxic species and oxidative stress. Phase I and II enzymes are pivotal in the process of proximate carcinogen formation and elimination. Some dietary phytochemicals are strong inhibitors to the phase I enzymes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the red wine compound resveratrol on DNA damage induced by PAH in a non-tumorigenic breast cell line MCF-10A. Resveratrol ranging from 1 to 5 μm could significantly suppress the expressions of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1, CYP1B1 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A1 induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). The comet assay indicated that DMBA introduced DNA damage to these cells, and co-treatment of resveratrol at 5 or 10 μm could alleviate the damage. Further investigation illustrated that resveratrol reduced the binding of DMBA metabolites to DNA with no effect on DMBA-induced oxidative DNA damage. Since the phase II enzyme UGT1A1 was suppressed, the elimination of DMBA metabolites would not have contributed to the reduction in the DMBA metabolite–DNA binding. In summary, resveratrol might protect breast cells against PAH-induced DNA damage. The underlying mechanism was mediated by phase I enzyme suppression rather than phase II enzyme induction or oxidative DNA repair.

There are multiple lines of evidence that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exert cancer-preventive effects. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study we found that the cytoplasmic fraction of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 7962 exerted the strongest antiproliferative effects (half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 17 μg/ml) in SNU-1 human stomach cancer cells and arginine deiminase (ADI; EC 3.5.3.6) activity. We also cloned, expressed and purified ADI from L. lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 7962 (LADI). Both purified ADI from L. lactis (PADI; IC50 = 2 μg/ml) and recombinant ADI originating from LADI (IC50 = 0·6 μg/ml) inhibited the proliferation of SNU-1 cells. LADI induced G0/G1-phase arrest, sub-G1 accumulation, DNA condensation and DNA fragmentation in SNU-1 cells. 4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and DNA fragmentation data provide evidence that LADI induces apoptosis in SNU-1 cells. LADI increased the expressions of p53 and p27Kip1, and decreased the expressions of cyclin D1, c-myc and Bcl-xL in SNU-1 cells. However, LADI had no effects on the expressions of p21Cip1 and Bcl-2. Collectively, these data indicate that ADI induces apoptosis and G0/G1-phase arrest of SNU-1 cells, which might contribute to the chemopreventive potential of LAB.

Trials in free-living populations involving increased consumption of fruit and vegetables are difficult to monitor. We evaluated biomarkers for assessing fruit and vegetable intake and compliance in a 2-year trial. Postmenopausal women were randomised to 300 g additional fruit and vegetables per d (n 66), placebo (n 70) or potassium citrate (n 140). They completed dietary checklists (3-monthly) and food diaries or FFQ (yearly). We measured whole-blood folate, plasma vitamin C and homocysteine (yearly), serum vitamin E and carotenoids (at 12 months) and urinary vitamin K metabolites (yearly). Plasma vitamin C was associated with fruit and vegetable intake at baseline (r +0·31; P < 0·01), remaining significant only for the non-fruit and vegetable group at 12 months (r +0·43; P < 0·01). For the fruit and vegetable group, vitamin C increased by 5·9 μmol/l (P = 0·07) but was not significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake; vitamin E, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin were higher compared with the non-fruit and vegetable group (P < 0·05); and whole-blood folate and the urinary 5C-aglycone metabolite of vitamin K were associated with vegetable intake. For all participants plasma vitamin C increased with increasing fruit and vegetable intakes, reaching a plateau of 90–95 μmol/l at intakes>500 g/d, whereas whole-blood folate, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin continued to increase. Concentrations of vitamin C, folate and β-cryptoxanthin were lower and the 7C-aglycone metabolite of vitamin K higher, in smokers compared with non-smokers. Suitable markers for monitoring fruit and vegetable compliance include β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin. Plasma vitamin C and whole-blood folate may be suitable for monitoring intakes in populations but for monitoring compliance the former may be restricted to low intakes of fruit and vegetables and the latter to vegetable intake.

Deprivation is associated with poor pregnancy outcome but the role of nutrition as a mediating factor is not well understood. We carried out a prospective cohort study of 1461 singleton pregnancies in Aberdeen, UK during 2000–6. We measured nutrient intake and supplement use, B vitamin and homocysteine status, birth weight, gestational age, neonatal treatment and socio-economic deprivation status. Women in the most deprived deciles were approximately 6 years younger and half as likely to take folic acid supplements periconceptually as the least deprived mothers. Deprivation was associated with low blood folate, high homocysteine and diets low in protein, fibre and many of the vitamins and minerals. The diets of the more deprived women were also characterised by low intakes of fruit, vegetables and oily fish and higher intakes of processed meat, fried potatoes, crisps and snacks. Deprivation was related to preterm birth (OR 1·14 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·25); P = 0·009) and whether the baby required neonatal treatment (OR 1·07 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·14); P = 0·028). Low birth weight was more common in women consuming diets low in vitamin C (OR 0·79 (95 % CI 0·64, 0·97); P = 0·028), riboflavin (OR 0·77 (95 % CI 0·63, 0·93); P = 0·008), pantothenic acid (OR 0·79 (95 % CI 0·65, 0·97); P = 0·023) and sugars (OR 0·78 (95 % CI 0·64, 0·96); P = 0·017) even after adjustment for deprivation index, smoking, marital status and parity. Deprivation in pregnancy is associated with diets poor in specific nutrients and poor diet appears to contribute to inequalities in pregnancy outcome. Improving the nutrient intake of disadvantaged women of childbearing age may potentially improve pregnancy outcome.

The aim of the study was to examine the association of dietary carbohydrates and glycaemic load with the risk of type 2 diabetes among an urban adult Asian Indian population. Adult subjects aged >20 years (n 1843) were randomly selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study, in Chennai city in southern India. Dietary carbohydrates, glycaemic load and food groups were assessed using FFQ. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed using 75 g glucose in all subjects. Diagnosis of diabetes was based on WHO Consulting Group criteria. OR for newly detected diabetes were calculated for carbohydrates, glycaemic load and specific food groups comparing subjects in the highest with those in the lowest quartiles, after adjustment for potential confounders such as age, sex, BMI, family history of diabetes, physical activity, current smoking, alcohol consumption and relevant dietary factors. We identified 156 (8·5 %) newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes. Refined grain intake was positively associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes (OR 5·31 (95 % CI 2·98, 9·45); P < 0·001). In the multivariate model, after adjustment for potential confounders, total carbohydrate (OR 4·98 (95 % CI 2·69, 9·19), P < 0·001), glycaemic load (OR 4·25 (95 % CI 2·33, 7·77); P < 0·001) and glycaemic index (OR 2·51 (95 % CI 1·42, 4·43); P = 0·006) were associated with type 2 diabetes. Dietary fibre intake was inversely associated with diabetes (OR 0·31 (95 % CI 0·15, 0·62); P < 0·001). In urban south Indians, total dietary carbohydrate and glycaemic load are associated with increased, and dietary fibre with decreased, risk of type 2 diabetes.

A whole-diet approach has proven useful for characterising dietary exposure in cardiovascular epidemiology research. In our previous analyses, we found dietary patterns to be significant determinants of CVD risk factor levels among the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns cohort. We investigated the associations of major dietary patterns with carotid intima media thickness (IMT), a subclinical predictor of CVD, in healthy adults. The Young Finns Study is an ongoing, prospective cohort study with a 21-year follow-up to date. The subjects were children and adolescents at baseline in 1980 (aged 3–18 years), and all had reached adulthood by the latest follow-up in 2001 (aged 24–39 years). Complete dietary data from the years 1980, 1986 and 2001 and outcome data from the year 2001 were obtained from 785 subjects. The long-term average pattern score for a traditional dietary pattern (characterised by high consumption of rye, potatoes, butter, sausages, milk and coffee) was associated with IMT especially among subjects with a low score for the health-conscious dietary pattern (characterised by high consumption of vegetables, legumes and nuts, rye, tea, cheese and other dairy products). In multivariable regression analyses using long-term pattern scores as predictors, the traditional dietary pattern was independently associated with IMT in men (P < 0·01), but not in women (P = 0·66). Long-term adherence to traditional food choices seems to increase the risk of developing subclinical atherosclerosis among Finnish men.

The traditionally semi-nomadic Bedouin Arabs in Israel are undergoing urbanisation with concurrent lifestyle changes, including a shift to using unfortified white-flour bread instead of wholewheat bread as the main dietary staple. We explored associations between the transition from wholewheat to white-flour bread and (1) lifestyle factors, (2) overall diet quality, and (3) health status. We conducted a nutrition survey among 451 Bedouin adults, using a modified 24 h recall questionnaire. Bread intake accounted for 32·7 % of the total energy intake. Those consuming predominantly white bread (PWB) (n 327) were more likely to be urban (OR 2·79; 95 % CI 1·70, 4·58), eating store-bought rather than homemade bread (OR 8·18; 95 % CI 4·34, 15·41) and currently dieting (OR 4·67; 95 % CI 1·28, 17·11) than those consuming predominantly wholewheat bread (PWWB) (n 124). PWB consumption was associated with a lower intake of dietary fibre (23·3 (se 0·6) v. 41·8 (se 1·0) g/d; P ≤ 0·001), a higher intake of saturated fats (26·9 v. 24·6 % of total fat; P = 0·013) and lower intakes of Fe (11·0 (se 0·3) v. 16·7 (se 0·4) mg/d), Mg (262·2 (se 5·9) v. 490·3 (se 9·8) mg/d), vitamin E (6·5 (se 0·2) v. 8·6 (se 0·3) mg/d) and most B vitamins than PWWB consumption (P < 0·001 for all), after adjusting for total energy intake. Among those aged ≥ 40 years, PWB consumption was associated with a 9·85-fold risk (95 % CI 2·64, 36·71; P = 0·001) of having one or more chronic conditions, as compared with PWWB consumption, after controlling for other risk factors. White bread intake was associated with a less traditional lifestyle and poorer diet quality, and may constitute a useful marker for at-risk subgroups to target for nutritional interventions.

Absorption, distribution and elimination of 14C-labelled isoflavone-containing extracts from kudzu (Pueraria lobata) root culture and red clover (Trifolium pratense) cell culture were investigated in an in vivo rat model. The predominant isoflavones in the kudzu extract were the glycosides puerarin, daidzin and malonyl daidzin, while in the red clover extract, the major isoflavones were formononetin and its derivatives, genistein and biochanin A, with radioactivities of 3·770 and 7·256 MBq/g, respectively. Male Sprague–Dawley rats, implanted with a jugular catheter and a subcutaneous ultrafiltrate probe, were orally administered with 14C-labelled isoflavone extracts from either kudzu or clover cell cultures. Serum, interstitial fluid (ISF), urine and faeces were collected using a Culex® Automated Blood Collection System for 24 h. Analysis of bone tissues revealed that radiolabel accumulated in the femur, tibia and vertebrae at 0·04, 0·03 and 0·01 % of the administered dose, respectively, in both kudzu and red clover treatments. The liver accumulated the greatest concentration of radiolabel among the tissues tested, at 1·99 and 1·54 % of the administered kudzu and red clover extracts, respectively. Serum and ISF analysis showed that both extracts were rapidly absorbed, distributed in various tissues, and largely eliminated in the urine and faeces. Urine and faeces contained 8·53 and 9·06 % of the kudzu dose, respectively, and 3·60 and 5·64 % of the red clover dose, respectively. Serum pharmacokinetics suggest that extracts from kudzu may undergo enterohepatic circulation.