Comparison of Bioavailability of Nitrates and Nitrites in 3 Species of Amaranthus: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 4-Way Crossover Study in Healthy Subjects Under Fasting Conditions
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Introduction Amaranthus is a significant source of dietary nitrates, which have been known to improve aerobic capacity and exercise performance in physically active individuals. There is a significant data gap on data on nonpartitive pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence studies of nitrate and nitrite from three species of Amaranth ( A. hybridus, A. hypochondriacus , & A. tricolor ). This study aims in assessing the bioavailability of nitrates and nitrites from three Amaranthus species in a randomized, placebo-controlled design, thereby fills this gap. Methods A double blinded, four-way crossover study was conducted in 16 healthy participants. Each participant enrolled in the study received a single dose of 2000 mg of Amaranthus extract or a placebo. The plasma and saliva samples were collected at specific intervals over 24 hours. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations were analyzed using a validated LCMS/MS method. Results After the administration of amaranth extracts, both plasma and saliva samples were observed with significantly higher levels of nitrate and nitrite, compared to the placebo group. Pharmacokinetic variables (C max , AUC 0-t24 and AUC0-∞) showed similar pattern for nitrite and nitrate in the three amaranth products, but were significantly different from placebo (P<0.05), in both plasma and saliva samples. Bioequivalence analysis confirmed significant bioequivalence among the three amaranth extracts for nitrite and nitrate. Conclusion This study concludes that the three species of amaranthus - A.hybridus, A. hypochondriacus, & A. tricolor are bioequivalent in terms of plasma and saliva nitrate and nitrite levels from a single dose of 2000 mg amaranth extract and has higher bioavailability than placebo. These findings show that Amaranthus extracts could potentially act as a daily diet supplement for improving the cardiovascular and neurogenerative health of body, particularly aging people.
Source: Current Therapeutic Research
Authors: Deepa Suhag, Aparna Nilesh Kodre
Institutions: Amity University, Amity University Gurugram, Noble Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Biochemistry
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W4410252526