Natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES): A strategy to improve the bioavailability of blueberry phenolic compounds in a ready-to-use extract

[Display omitted] •Natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) yields ready-to-use blueberry extract.•Organic solvent (SORG) needs to be removed before use of blueberry extract.•Choline chloride:glycerol:citric acid-based NADES delays chyme neutralization.•NADES increases intestinal stability of anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolics.•NADES increases bioavailability of anthocyanins. This study investigated whether a ready-to-use extract obtained using a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) affects the pharmacokinetic profile of blueberry phenolic compounds compared to organic solvent (SORG)-extracted compounds. SORG extract was administered as an aqueous solution after solvent removal. Wistar rats received a single dose of crude extract of blueberry obtained using NADES (CE-NADES) or SORG (CE-SORG), followed by LC-DAD-MS/MS analysis of blood and cecal feces. Non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that CE-NADES increased the bioavailability of anthocyanins by 140% compared to CE-SORG. CE-NADES increased the stability of phenolic compounds during in vitro digestion by delaying gastric chyme neutralization. These results suggest that besides being an eco-friendly solvent for the extraction of phytochemicals, choline chloride:glycerol:citric acid-based NADES can be used as a ready-to-use vehicle for increasing oral absorption of bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins.