Effect of honey on naringin absorption from a decoction of the pericarps of Citrus grandis

To measure naringin/naringenin absorption of a decoction prepared from the pericarps of Citrus grandis and to investigate the effect of honey on narin gin/naringenin absorption, six healthy males received 200 mt decoctions of untreated and honey-treated Pericarpium Citri Grandis in a randomized cross over design. The absorption was measured by renal recovery of naringenin gl ucuronides/sulfates over 48 hours. The contents of naringin/naringenin in 2 00 mt decoctions of untreated and honey-treated Pericarpium Citri Grandis w ere determined to be 261.5/23.8 mu mol and 303.3/11.6 mu mol, respectively The mean cumulated renal excretion of naringenin glucuronides/sulfates afte r intake of these two decoctions were 74.8 mu mol (26.2% of dose) and 49.8 mu mol (15.8% of dose), respectively. Paired Student's t-test showed that t he difference of the total renal recovery of naringin/naringenin between th e two decoctions was significant. The results indicated that honey signific antly reduced naringin/naringenin absorption by 33.4% in humans and suggest ed that honey treatment might alter the efficacy of Pericarpium Citri Grand is.