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Role of Soy and Egg lecithin in Regulation of Plasma Cholesterol Concentration in Golden Syrian Hamsters
Author(s) -
Zhang Shu,
Wang Tong,
Beitz Donald C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1027-b
Subject(s) - lecithin , cholesterol , chemistry , egg lecithin , syrian hamsters , food science , endocrinology , soy protein , medicine , biochemistry , hamster , biology
The current study was designed to test whether egg lecithin and/or soy lecithin decreased the plasma cholesterol concentration in hamsters as a model for humans. Male golden Syrian hamsters (n=80) were assigned randomly to eight dietary treatments that contained 0.12% (wt/wt) of cholesterol and varied amounts of supplemental lipids for 4 weeks. The diet groups were: control, no supplemental lipid; 0.05%, 0.5%, and 5% of egg lecithin or soy lecithin, respectively; and 5% of soybean oil. Dietary soy lecithin decreased the plasma cholesterol concentration in a dosage‐ and time‐dependent manner. The 5% soy lecithin treatment greatly decreased the terminal plasma total cholesterol compared with all other treatments (p<0.05). Cholesterol absorption rate measured on day 24, however, was lower in control group than all other treatments (P<0.05). Dietary 5% soy lecithin dramatically decreased the liver lipid content compared with all other treatments (P<0.0001). In contrast, the cholesterol concentration of liver lipid was higher in hamsters fed with 5% soy lecithin than other groups (P<0.05). Overall, dietary soy lecithin but not egg lecithin decreased the plasma cholesterol concentration in hamsters via a mechanism other than by decreasing cholesterol absorption rate. Supported in part by USDA Center for Designing Food to Improve Nutrition.