Using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS), we have developed a new method for detection and identification of furan fatty acids (F-acids), which are widely distributed in living organisms and foods as minor lipid components and are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. For this purpose, total fatty acids prepared from the testis lipids of Japanese chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) were examined without any concentration or isolation of F-acids. In negative ESI mode, F-acids gave a prominent [M-H] ion, by which individual F-acids could be detected and identified. High-resolution extracted ion chromatograms clearly showed the occurrence of five major F-acid homologs as already reported by GC/MS. The method was successfully applied to several fish samples and revealed the occurrence of F-acids for the first time in the two New Zealand fish, hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) and school shark (Galeorhinus galeus).

No abstract

No abstract

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) has been widely administered orally to improve knee osteoarthritis (OA). CS also has various biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-tumour activity. However, CS absorption in the digestive system and bioavailability remain controversial owing to its large molecular weight (MW). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the absorption of CS oligosaccharides (CSOS), depolymerized CS with low MW, in oral administration to humans. Four types of CS with varying MW [CS tetrasaccharide (MW. 980), CSOS-1 (MW. 1500), CSOS-2 (MW. 2800), and HMWCS (MW. 70,000)] were orally administered and quantified in plasma and urine. Exogenous CS (Exo-CS) in these samples was quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a fluorescence detector. Quantitative changes of administered CS tetrasaccharide showed similar patterns in plasma and urine, therefore it was presumed that the amount of Exo-CS excreted in urine reflects its quantitative profile in blood. Considering urinary Exo-CS as a parameter of intestinal CS absorption, urinary contents of orally administered CS with varying MW were compared. Consequently, the amount of urinary Exo-CS in 24 hours after administration was higher in the CSOS group than that in the HMWCS group. Additionally, in the MW distribution, urinary Exo-CS after CSOS administration showed a lower content of CSOS with a higher MW than that observed before administration. In summary, our results demonstrated for the first time that lower MW of CS is more efficiently absorbed through the digestive tract in human, and the improvement of its bioavailability is expected.