Gut Bioavailability of Medicinal Foods and High-value Compounds

1. Principal Investigators (PIs): – Ivette Guzman (Plant & Environmental Sciences, ivguzman@nmsu.edu); Omar Holguin (Plant & Environmental Sciences, frholgui@nmsu.edu); Kevin Lombard (NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Farmington/Plant and Environmental Sciences, klombard@nmsu.edu); William Maio (Chemistry & Biochemistry, wmaio@nmsu.edu); Clint Loest (Animal & Range Science, cloest@nmsu.edu)

2. Research Project Summary: Phytocompounds derived from photosynthetic organisms like plants and algae have been shown to have medicinal and nutraceutical properties in animals. However, in order for the compounds to exert medicinal properties in humans, they must be absorbed by the gut after ingestion. Therefore, the overall significance of this research is to establish a well known human gut epithelial cell model (Caco-2) in order to understand the pharmacokinetics and absorption of natural bioactive products by the human gut. The gut bioavailability of these compounds from whole foods, like chile, hemp and Navajo medicinal plants as well as isolated compounds will be measured using a simulated human digestion and an intestinal cell system. This interdisciplinary medicinal natural product research program will establish an innovative method to investigate the application of medicinal and nutraceutical phytocompounds.