Biotransformation of aloenin, a bitter glucoside constituent of Aloe arborescens, by rats.

T Hirata, S Sakano, T Suga

Index: Experientia 37(12) , 1252-3, (1981)

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Abstract

Aloenin has been established to be 4-methoxy-6-(2-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-6-methylphenyl)-2-pyrone; it shows an inhibitory activity for gastric juice secretion. Rats metabolized it to 4-methoxy-6-(2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylphenyl)-2-pyrone, 2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone and glucose, which were excreted in the feces and the urine. The distribution of the radioactivity originating from 14C-labeled aloenin was studied. The tracer found in the kidney and the liver reached 60% of the amount administered 24 h after feeding and decreased rapidly in the next 24 h.