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Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4599-8096
AccessType
Open Access Dissertation
Document Type
dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Program
Food Science
Year Degree Awarded
2023
Month Degree Awarded
September
First Advisor
David Sela
Second Advisor
D. Julian McClements
Third Advisor
Jeffery Doherty
Subject Categories
Chemicals and Drugs | Food Science | Laboratory and Basic Science Research | Microbiology | Nutrition | Pharmacology
Abstract
The use of plant bioactive compounds as medicinal and dietary supplements is not a new concept, however, the research regarding the efficacy of these treatments is just emerging. Cannabis is a plant with a long history of medicinal use, and within the last century has gone from being prohibited to recreationally legal in parts of the United States. The demand for cannabis is primarily due to cannabinoids, a type of molecule which are being increasingly incorporated into food products. In a 2017 report, the National Academies stated there was substantial evidence supporting the benefit of cannabis for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. To establish the scope of research that has investigated cannabidiol (CBD) and another type of gastrointestinal function, intestinal motility, a systematic review was performed. This revealed there is promising pre-clinical evidence supporting an effect of CBD on intestinal motility, however, clinical trials have not found a benefit. Cannabinoid research has, in part, been difficult to interpret due to a lack of standardization. Thus, a methodical approach in studying cannabigerol (CBG) was undertaken by investigating the impact of dietary intake and delivery vehicle on the pharmacokinetic profile. It was predicted that dietary fat and emulsification would enhance CBG absorption due to the lipophilic nature of cannabinoids. Participants completed a double cross-over human feeding study where they ingested CBG (isolate and emulsified) and consumed either high-fat or low-fat meals. Dietary fat was found to significantly increase the total exposure (AUC) and maximum concentrations reached (Cmax). Contrary to what was predicted, it was the isolate that reached the highest Cmax and AUC. In addition, using the SCIEX Molecule Profiler software, potential CBG metabolites were identified in both plasma and stool samples. Another plant bioactive compound of interest are cranberry proanthocyanidins (PACs). To establish the effect of PACs on a probiotic bacteria, Lactoplantibacillus plantarum, in a complex microbial community, an in vitro batch-culture fermentation was performed using stool. The characterization of the microbial community using amplicon sequencing found the enrichment of specific bacterial genera, however, production metabolites did not differ during supplementation with L. plantarum or PACs. In summary, this work investigated the potential applications for plant bioactive components and characterized the pharmacokinetics of the minor cannabinoid CBG.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/35994593
Recommended Citation
Story, Galaxie, "Investigation Of Dietary Plant Compounds: Pharmacokinetics and Potential Applications" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations. 3016.
https://doi.org/10.7275/35994593
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/3016
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
Chemicals and Drugs Commons, Food Science Commons, Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons, Microbiology Commons, Nutrition Commons, Pharmacology Commons