Preliminary studies on degradation products of quercetin in the rat's gastrointestinal tract

Paper chromatographic studies of the ether extracts of the lyophilized rat stomach and its contents were made following the feeding of randomly labeled quercetin-C 14. Radioactive phloroglucinol carboxylic acid, phloroglucinol, and protocatechuic acid were identified. A fourth radioactive compound still not identified plus a radioactive “quercetin-like” compound were also noted. Protocatechuic acid, phloroglucinol carboxylic acid, and phloroglucinol were also found following incubation of quercetin with a porcine gastric mucin preparation.