Metabolic profiling of ¹³C-Labeled rosmarinic acid by LC-MS in an in vitro colon model
Dr. Maike Passon from the University of Bonn, Germany will join Polyphenols Applications 2026 and give a presentation entitled Metabolic profiling of ¹³C-Labeled rosmarinic acid by LC-MS in an in vitro colon model.
Rosmarinic Acid Does Not Survive the Gut: Microbiota Rewrites the Polyphenol Story.
Are the Biological Effects Attributed to Rosmarinic Acid Actually Driven by Its Microbiota-Derived Metabolites?
Dr. Maike Passon will present new insights into the metabolic fate of rosmarinic acid, a dietary polyphenol widely associated with potential health benefits.
Dr. Passon's work addresses a central question in polyphenol science: what really happens to rosmarinic acid once it reaches the colon?
Using ¹³C-labeled rosmarinic acid in an in vitro colon model, combined with LC-IMS-QTOF-MS, Dr. Passon and colleagues were able to distinguish true rosmarinic acid-derived metabolites from background compounds naturally produced by the gut microbiota.
This approach integrates stable isotope tracing, accurate mass detection, high-resolution MS/MS fragmentation, and collision cross section values, allowing a much higher confidence in metabolite annotation.
The study highlights the colon as an active biochemical reactor, where gut microbiota transforms rosmarinic acid into a complex spectrum of low-molecular-weight metabolites.
The strategic message is clear: the biological activity of rosmarinic acid may not be explained only by the parent compound, but by the microbial metabolites generated after colonic transformation.
Dr. Passon’s presentation will contribute to a broader shift in polyphenol research: moving beyond the native molecule to decode how gut microbiota rewrites the chemical identity, metabolic fate, and potential biological effects of dietary polyphenols.
