Oxidative metabolism of the soy isoflavones daidzein and genistein in humans in vitro and in vivo

The soy isoflavones daidzein and genistein are found in high concentrations in human plasma and urine after soy consumption. However, in vitro and in vivo data regarding the oxidative metabolism of isoflavones in humans are scarce. Therefore, we have studied the oxidative metabolites of these compounds formed in human liver microsomes and excreted in urine of male and female humans ingesting soy products for 2 days. Human liver microsomes transformed the soy isoflavone daidzein to three monohydroxylated and three dihydroxylated metabolites according to GC/MS analysis. On the basis of a previous study with rat liver microsomes and with the help of reference substances, these metabolites were identified as 6,7,4 ' -trihydroxyisoflavone, 7,3 ' ,4 ' -trihydroxyisoflavone, 7,8,4 ' -trihydroxyisoflavone, 7,8,3 ' ,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone, 6,7,8,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone, and 6,7,3 ' ,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone. Significant amounts of the same metabolites except 6,7,8,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone were also found in urine of female and male volunteers after soy intake. Genistein was metabolized by human liver microsomes to six hydroxylation products. The main metabolites were the three aromatic monohydroxylated products 5,6,7,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone, 5,7,8,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone and 5,7,3 ' ,4 ' -tetrahydroxyisoflavone. The aliphatic monohydroxylated metabolite 2,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone and two aromatic dihydroxylated metabolites, 5,7,8,3 ' ,4 ' -pentahydroxyisoflavone and 5,6,7,3 ' ,4 ' -pentahydroxyisoflavone, were formed in trace amounts. The same hydroxylated genistein metabolites except the aliphatic hydroxylated one could also be detected in human urine samples. Methylated forms of the catechol metabolites, which were generated by incubations with catechol-O-methyltransferase in vitro could be detected only in trace amounts in the urine samples. This implies that this reaction does not play a major role in the biotransformation of the hydroxylated daidzein and genistein metabolites in vivo. Most of these oxidative metabolites are described as human in vivo metabolites for the first time. Their biological significance remains to be established.