From the bioavailability of phytonutrients to health-enhancing metabolites – BIOPHYSA

This project aims to establish a Joint Laboratory, named BIOPHYSA, between Activ’Inside and the MIB team from UMR 1366 OENO at the University of Bordeaux. This initiative will enhance and formalize the existing partnerships between the two partners.
The MIB team has been dedicated for many years to studying the biological properties of natural compounds, establishing itself as a global expert in stilbenes (polyphenols). Through the BIOPHYSA, MIB seeks to broaden its scientific expertise to other phytonutrients, in particular polyphenols. The team is particularly focused on enhancing its understanding of the bioavailability of these compounds and developing innovative research tools.
Conversely, Activ’Inside specializes in patented natural solutions that have been scientifically validated in areas such as cognitive disorders, stress, sleep, women’s health and skin health. With significant investments in R&D over the years (20% of turnover), the company has amassed strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of its active ingredients. Nonetheless, Activ’Inside aims to advance its research on the bioavailability and bioactivity of phytonutrients, allowing selection of new ingredients more quickly, development of novel formulations and the identification of metabolites of interest for their biological activities.
The synergy of the complementary activities of both partners in the BIOPHYSA laboratory will enhance the value of plant-based active ingredients in the fields of nutrition, well-being, and human health, focusing on combating aging and preventing related disorders.
Despite the extensive research on the fate of phytonutrients in the body, our understanding remains limited. These compounds, present in plant extracts, are absorbed to varying degrees and can be potentially transformed within the body. Therefore, the development of sufficiently sensitive methods for identifying and analyzing these compounds and their circulating metabolites (which may be of major interest because of their own biological activities) will be a first major area of research to help understand their bioavailability. A second area of research will involve new in vitro studies to assess the impact of the formulation on the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of these compounds (and therefore their biological properties) using recognized static simulation models of gastrointestinal digestion of foodstuffs (INFOGEST) and cellular models of intestinal epithelium. The lab aims to become a reference for INFOGEST Polyphenols.
BIOPHYSA's objective is to develop a research platform to obtain complementary scientific evidence on the mechanisms of action and efficacy of phytonutrients while reducing the reliance on animal models. This will involve an ex vivo approach, utilizing human samples tested on cellular models.
In terms of product development, the goal will be to explore innovative nutritional solutions that can enhance the effectiveness of phytonutrients. This will involve optimizing the concentrations of various plant extracts, as well as their formulation and final forms.
In the short to medium term, this work will improve our understanding of the fate of phytonutrients in the body and provide evidence of bioavailability and efficacy of products developed by Activ’Inside.
In the medium to long term, the focus will be on co-developing new nutritional solutions, such as combinations of natural extracts or innovative formulations.