Influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the bioavailability and antioxidant activity of polyphenols from Ipomoea batatas leaves

Summary Sweet potato leaves (SPL) are natural by-products rich in bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols, and can be consumed as a vegetable. This work aims to investigate the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the bioavailability and antioxidant activities of polyphenols from SPL. The phenolic compounds of sweet potato leaf extracts (SPLE) were quite stable in gastric phase. However, the amount of phenolic compounds decreased during transition from the acidic gastric environment to the alkaline intestinal environment. The bioavailability of phenolic compounds of SPLE was 13.36%. The ABTS·+ scavenging capabilities and reducing power of SPLE were not affected during gastric digestion. Antioxidant activity increased after intestinal digestion. This research suggested that phenolic compounds of SPLE were sufficiently available for absorption. This study also provides useful information on the potential commercial value of SPL.