Tissue distribution of hesperetin in rats after a dietary intake.

Hesperetin, the aglycone of hesperidin present in citrus fruits, possesses various biological activities. We assessed the tissue distribution of hesperetin in rats fed with a 0.2% hesperetin diet for 4 weeks. Its highest concentration was found in the liver, and the second highest was in the aorta. The aorta is assumed to be one of the main target tissues of hesperetin for exerting its functions.