Abstract
We investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha(TF) beverage on serum and liver lipid metabolism in growing male rats. The rats(Sprague-Dawley) were divided into five groups; control(TF free water), 20 or 40% TF groups(20 or 40% TF in water) and 20 or 40% TFS groups(20 or 40% TF autoclaved in water) according to the level of TF supplementation. The rats were fed ad libitum each of the experimental beverage for 7 weeks. The body weight gain of all the TF and TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The total lipid and triglyceride concentrations of serum in the 40% TF group were increased more than those in the control group, but those in the 20% TF and 20% TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol concentrations, HDL-cholesterol / total cholesterol ratio and atherogenic index of serum in all the TF and TFS groups were similar to those of the control group. The LDL-cholesterol concentration of serum was significantly lower in the 20% TF group than that in the control group. The LDL-cholesterol concentration of serum was significantly lower in the 20% TF group than that in the control group, but those of the 40% TF, 20% TFS and 40% TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The liver weights of all the TF and TFS groups were heavier than that of the control group. The concentrations of hepatic triglyceride in the 20% TF and 20% TFS groups were significantly decreased, compared with that in the control group. The concentrations of hepatic total cholesterol in all the TF and TFS groups were significantly more decreased than that in the control group. These results indicated that the liver weights of tea fungus/kombucha beverage feeding rats were increased, also the serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations of 40% TF feeding rats were increased. but the serum LDL-cholesterol, hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels of 20% TF feeding rats were decreased.