GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF RESVERATROL IN PLASMA, LIPOPROTEINS AND CELLS AFTER IN-VITRO INCUBATIONS

Resveratrol is a trihydroxystilbene present in certain red wines. It m ay play a role in the inhibition of lipoprotein oxidation and platelet activity. We have developed the first method to measure resveratrol i n animal and human samples and to study its incorporation in vitro. Af ter adding epicoprostanol as an internal standard, samples are subject ed to lipid extraction in the presence of antioxidant and under dim li ght to minimize both denaturation and isomerization of the trans-resve ratrol to the cis-form. Extracts were purified by cold acetone precipi tation and the resveratrol-containing acetone phase was evaporated und er nitrogen. The resveratrol was analyzed as a trimethylsilyl derivati ve by capillary gas chromatography which resolved the cis- and trans-r esveratrol (6.6 and 12.9 min, respectively). Analyses of samples spike d with pure trans-resveratrol (0.1 to 10 mu g) indicated that the meth od was specific and gave excellent linearity and recovery (96.8%) with a high reproducibility (coefficient of variation: 3.3%). The detectio n limit was about 50 ng/ml. Applications show that resveratrol was inc orporated into blood cells and lipoproteins after in vitro incubations with plasma, lipoproteins and cells. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.