Figure 1.

Schematic diagram of the experiments design of this research: (A) Lentils were germinated for six days, and phytochemicals (melatonin and phenolic compounds) were extracted and characterized, as was the in vitro antioxidant capacity of the product. Lentil sprouts were given to rats and plasma and urine were used for the measurement of melatonin, serotonin, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (immunochemically), and phenolic compounds and the in vitro antioxidant capacity following the protocol here illustrated: (B) The first group of rats fasted for 12 h. They were then administered a lentil sprout extract via gavage followed sequential blood extraction for the pharmacokinetic study. Groups 2–5 were used in the bioavailability/bioactivity study and subjected to different feeding conditions: ad libitum standard rat chow (Control), 12 h fasting (Fasting), Lentil sprout ingestion after a 12 h fasting (Lentil Sprouts), and the administration of a melatonin solution (MEL) after 12 h fasting, followed in all the cases by blood and urine sampling.