Urinary Excretion of Cyanidin Glucosides and Glucuronides in Healthy Humans After Elderberry Juice Ingestion

In a pilot study with 6 females and 1 male, the metabolism of various cyanidin glucosides after oral administration of elderberry juice was investigated. The anthocyanin metabolites were detected in urinary excretion. After ingestion of a bolus quantity of $3.57$ g total anthocyanins in a $150$ mL elderberry juice concentrate, $0.053$ % of the administered dose was excreted in urine as glucosidically bound cyanidins within the first 5 hours. Only $0.003$ % of the ingested anthocyanin glucosides was excreted as cyanidin glucuronide, suggesting that this conversion step might be of minor importance in urinary excretion.