ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2023
Absorption and Metabolism of Urolithin A and Ellagic Acid in Mice and Their Cytotoxicity in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells.
Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Unveiling the Anticancer Potential of Urolithin A in Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review.Oncology research · 2026Pooled it
- The microbiome-mitochondria axis: the context-dependent role of urolithin A in aging and cancer via mitophagy.Molecular biology reports · 2026Review
- Review
- Urolithin A: A Novel Postbiotic for inflammation, aging, and cancer: A Journey from Dietary ellagitannins to clinical use.Molecular biology reports · 2026Review
- Urolithins in clinical translation: from gut microbial metabolites to precision interventions.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Traditional Chinese medicine on epilepsy: focus on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors.Medical review (2021) · 2025Review
- Microbial Metabolite, Macro Impact: Urolithin A in the Nexus of Insulin Resistance and Colorectal Tumorigenesis.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Photoprotective, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of AgedFood science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Urolithin A Protects Ovarian Reserve Via Inhibiting PI3K/Akt Signaling and Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Follicle Apoptosis.Biology · 2025Article
- Ellagic Acid and Gut Microbiota: Interactions, and Implications for Health.Food science & nutrition · 2025Review
- Determination of Urolithin A in Health Products by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Gut Microbiota Secondary Metabolites: Key Roles in GI Tract Cancers and Infectious Diseases.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Urolithin-C Suppresses Inflammation by Blocking NF-κB Signaling Pathway in LPS-Induced RAW 264.7 Macrophages.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Article
- Unveiling the potential of Urolithin A in Cancer Therapy: Mechanistic Insights to Future Perspectives of Nanomedicine.Nanotheranostics · 2025Review
- Emerging evidence of Urolithin A in sports nutrition: bridging preclinical findings to athletic applications.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Review
- Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Ellagic Acid for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Metabolic mediators: microbial-derived metabolites as key regulators of anti-tumor immunity, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Review
- The anti-obesity effects of polyphenols: a comprehensive review of molecular mechanisms and signal pathways in regulating adipocytes.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Review
- Mitochondrial-Oriented Injectable Hydrogel Microspheres Maintain Homeostasis of Chondrocyte Metabolism to Promote Subcellular Therapy in Osteoarthritis.Research (Washington, D.C.) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Ellagic acid is a natural polyphenol compound found in pomegranates, walnuts, and many berries. It is not easily absorbed, but it could be metabolized to urolithins by the gut microbiota. Urolithin A, one of the ellagic acid metabolites, has been proved to prolong the lifespan of Methods: Urolithin A and urolithin B were synthesized and analyzed by HPLC and NMR. A pharmacokinetic study of urolithin A was performed in mice by analyzing urolithin A and its metabolites in urines. Absorption and biotransformation of ellagic acid were also studied in mice by analyzing the plasma, liver, and feces. The cytotoxicity of urolithin A, urolithin B, and ellagic acid was assayed in SW480, SW620, HCT 116, and HT-29 cells. Results: Urolithin A and urolithin B were synthesized and purified to reach 98.1% and 99% purity, respectively, and the structures were identified by NMR. In urolithin A intake analysis, urolithin A was only detectable at 3 h, not at 6-24 h; it suggested that urolithin A was rapidly metabolized to some unknown metabolites. Using UPLC-MS/MS analysis, the metabolites might be urolithin A 3-O-glucuronide, urolithin A 3-sulfate, and urolithin A-sulfate glucuronide. After feeding mice with ellagic acid for consecutive 14 days, ellagic acid contents could be detected in the fecal samples, but not in plasma and liver, and urolithin A was not detected in all samples. It suggests that ellagic acid is not easily absorbed and that the biotransformation of ellagic acid to urolithin A by intestinal flora might be very low. From the cytotoxicity assay, it was found that there was anticancer effect in urolithin A and urolithin B but not in ellagic acid. In contrast, ellagic acid promoted the proliferation of SW480 and SW620 cells.
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Registered trials
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