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Alteration of cholesterol metabolism by 4‐0‐methylascochlorin in rats
Author(s) -
Hosokawa Tomoyoshi,
Sawada Mikio,
Ando Kunio,
Tamura Gakuzo
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02535011
Subject(s) - lipidology , clinical chemistry , metabolism , cholesterol , neurochemistry , chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , biology , neurology , neuroscience
The effect of 4‐0‐methylascochlorin (MAC), an experimental hypocholesterolemic agent, on cholesterol metabolism was investigated in rats in two separate experiments. The administration of MAC for 2 and 6 consecutive weeks at daily doses of 100–135 mg/kg resulted in reduction in serum cholesterol levels of 16% after 2 weeks of treatment in the first experiment, and 13% after 6 weeks in the second experiment in comparison to the corresponding controls. MAC administered at a daily dose of 100 mg/kg for 2 weeks showed a significant increase in the biliary excretion of bile acids and cholesterol in bile‐duct cannulated rats with or without the administration of taurocholate. In the second experiment, MAC treatment for 6 weeks produced a marked increase in the fecal output of acidic sterols during a 2 to 6‐week period. MAC treatment also further enhanced hepatic cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase in the rats. Therefore, it appears that the mechanism of serum cholesterol lowering due to MAC is related to the enhancement of hepatic bile acid synthesis and the increase in biliary and fecal excretion of bile acids.