What is it about?
Cyanidin 3 glucoside is a phytochemical, namely a compound found only in plants. It is the red pigment of fruits, vegetables and grains. Therefore, cyanidin 3-glucoside occurs in our diet. Diets rich in red fruits are reported to afford better cognitive performance in aged subjects. Thus, one might guess that cyanidin 3-glucoside is a neuroprotective agent. In vitro it acts so. However, can it reach the brain? Can it cross the blood-brain barrier? We detected cyanidin 3-glucoside in the brain of rats, following the intravenous injection of a minute amount of the pigment. It reached the brain at an amazing rate: after 15 seconds, it was there. Later, it disappeared along with its disappearance in the blood, due to urinary excretion and distribution in other parts of the body.
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Why is it important?
Our data show that the brain "senses" cyanidin 3-glucoside in the blood. There is a cross-talk between the brain and the blood, and what we choose to eat.
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This page is a summary of: Determination of cyanidin 3-glucoside in rat brain, liver and kidneys by UPLC/MS-MS and its application to a short-term pharmacokinetic study, Scientific Reports, March 2016, Nature,
DOI: 10.1038/srep22815.
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