Studies on Absorption and Tansport of Limoninoids from Fructus Evodiae in Caco-2 Cell Monolayer Model

Objective To study the intestinal absorption and transepithelial transport of three limoninoids: evodol (EVO), limonin (LIM), and shihulimonin A (SHIA), isolated from Fructus Evodiae [the unripe fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa and Evodia rutaecarpa var. bodinieri] in the human intestine. Methods The in vitro cultured human colon carcinoma cell line, Caco-2 cell monolayer model, was applied to studying the absorption and transepithelial transport of the three limoninoids from apical (AP) to basolateral (BL) side and from BL to AP side. The three limoninoids were measured by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet absorption detector. Transport parameters and apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) were then calculated and compared with those of Propranolol as a control substance of high permeability and Atenolol as a control substance of poor permeability. Results The Papp value of EVO and LIM from AP to BL side for absorption and transport were 1.78 × 10-5 cm/s and 1.16 × 10-5 cm/s, respectively, which was comparable to that of Propranolol with Papp 2.18 × 10-5 cm/s. Conclusion The absorption and transport of both EVO and LIM are main passive diffusion as the dominating process in Caco-2 cell monolayer model, and they were estimated to be high absorbed compounds. SHIA in Caco-2 cell monolayer model may be involved in metabolism in the transport processes.