• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of death in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and dyslipidemia is considered at least partially responsible for the increased CVD risk in NAFLD patients. The aim of the present study is to understand how hepatic de novo lipogenesis influences hepatic cholesterol content as well as its effects on the plasma lipid levels. Hepatic lipogenesis was induced in mice by feeding a fat-free/high-sucrose (FF/HS) diet and the metabolic pathways associated with cholesterol were then analyzed. Both liver triglyceride and cholesterol contents were significantly increased in mice fed an FF/HS diet. Activation of fatty acid synthesis driven by the activation of sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1c resulted in the increased liver triglycerides. The augmented cholesterol content in the liver could not be explained by an increased cholesterol synthesis, which was decreased by the FF/HS diet. HMG-CoA reductase protein level was decreased in mice fed an FF/HS diet. We found that the liver retained more cholesterol through a reduced excretion of bile acids, a reduced fecal cholesterol excretion, and an increased cholesterol uptake from plasma lipoproteins. Very low-density lipoproteintriglyceride and -cholesterol secretion were increased in mice fed an FF/HS diet, which led to hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia in Ldlr-/- mice, a model that exhibits a more human like lipoprotein profile. These findings suggest that dietary cholesterol intake and cholesterol synthesis rates cannot only explain the hypercholesterolemia associated with NAFLD, and that the control of fatty acid synthesis should be considered for the management of dyslipidemia.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 1965

Glycyrrhizin, an active constituent of Glycyrrhiza, was chemically extracted and its hypocholesterolemic activities were studied in rats. Following were the results: 1. The Sprague Dowley rats fed with the standard diet were divided into 4 groups, $50{\sim}60$ in each, and glycyrrhizin was given in doses of 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0mg per 100gm body weight daily for 10, 20, 30, and 60 days. Glycyrrhizin showed more or less the hypocholesterolemic activities in all animals. All of the animal groups to which 1. 0mg and 2.0mg of glycyrrhizin were given died before 60 days, while no mortality cases was noted in the group to which 0.5mg of glycyrrhizin was given. 2. Cholesterol administration induced hypercholesterolemia in all experimental animals, however, simultaneous administration of cholesterol with 0.5mg of glycyrrhizin suppressed the rise of the total serum cholesterol levels. The former group did not survive until 56 days, while the latter did. 3. Glycyrrhizin also Suppressed the cholesterol biosynthesis and incorporation of cholesterol in the liver tissues. 4. Glycyrrhizin induced the increase of the fecal excretion of the sterol compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1197-1203
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• 2001

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary xylooligosaccharide on UDP-glucuronyl transferase (UDP-GTase) activity and excretion of fecal sterols in rat fed high cholesterol diet. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 100$\pm$10 g were randomly divided into five groups, one with normal diet and four with high cholesterol diets containing 1% cholesterol (w/w). The high groups with cholesterol diet groups were classified into xylooligosaccharide free diet (C), 5% xylooligosaccharide diet (C5XO), 10% xylooligosaccharide diet (C10XO), and 15% xylooligosaccharide diet (C15XO) group according to the five groups of dietary xylooligosaccharide by weights. The experimental diets were fed ad libidum for 4 weeks. Fecal weights were increased 86% by xylooligosaccharide. Fecal total lipid contents including fecal neutral and acidic sterols in xylooligosaccharide groups were significantly higher than those of the normal and C groups, and especially that of C10XO group was the highest among all experimental groups. Activity of UDP-glucuronyl transferase (UDP-GTase) in liver in C group was 35% higher than that of normal group and the activities in C5XO, C10XO and C15XO groups were 15%, 41%, and 21% higher than in C group, respectively. Fecal bile acid excretions per day were increased 3.1, 3.6 and, 2.8 folds in C5XO, C10XO, and C15XO groups, respectively, compared with that of C group. Contents of neutral sterol, coprostanol, and coprostanone were higher in xylooligosaccharide groups than in C group. These results suggest that dietary xylooligosaccharide may act as potential substitute for a dietary fiber capable of improving a gastrointestinal function and lipid metabolism.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine the effect of dietary iron levels on lipid metabolism, antioxidative and antithrombogenic capacities in 16-month-old rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley male 16-month-old rats weighing 618 $\pm$ 6 g were raised for 10 days with medium-iron diet (35 ppm in diet) and blocked into 4 groups according to their body weights. One of groups was sacrificed to obtain initial data and the rest 3 groups were raised for 3 months with experimental diets containing different levels of iron (5 ppm, 35 ppm, and 350 ppm). Total lipid, triglyceride and total chole-sterol concentrations in plasma and liver, HDL-cholesterol concentration in plasma, fecal total lipid triglyceride and total cholesterol excretions, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in plasma LDL + VLDL (low density lipoprotein + very low density lipoprotein) fractions, blood-clotting time and eicosanoids levels in plasma were measured. The results are as follows: Plasma total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations, TBARS level in plasma LDL + VLDL fractions were increased and blood-clotting time tended to be shortened during 3 months of experimental period. Low (5 ppm) iron diet improved lipid metabolism via increasing HDL-cholesterol and fecal choles-terol excretion. High (350 ppm) iron diet decreased plasma total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations as compared to medium (35 ppm) iron diet and lowered body weight and epididymal fat pad weight. On the other hand, TBARS level in plasma LDL + VLDL fractions and blood-clotting time were increased with high iron diet. It is plausible that low iron diet improves lipid metabolism, antioxidative and antithrombogenic capacities in 16-month-old rats.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2001

Ginseng may have antioxidant and pharmacologic effects similar to those of vitamin E. The interactive effect of ginseng and vitamin E was studied with respect to cholesterol metabolism and the antioxidant status. A ginseng supplement (0.1%, wt/wt) with comparable levels of vitamin E was provided with a high-cholesterol (1%, wt/wt) diet to rats for 5 weeks. The amount of vitamin E included in the ginseng-free and ginseng diets was either a low (low-E) or a normal (normal-E) level. The ginseng supplements significantly (p<0.05) altered the concentrations of plasma triglycerides in both the low-vitamin E group and normal-vitamin E group compared to the each ginseng-free group. The hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol content were not significantly (p>0.05) different between groups regardless of the vitamin E level in the diet. The hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity was significantly (p<0.05) lowered by the ginseng supplement in both the low-vitamin E and the normal-vitamin E groups compared to the ginseng-free group. The HMG-CoA reductase activity was also significantly (p<0.05) lowered with in increase of the dietary vitamin E in the ginseng-free group. The excretion of fecal neutral sterol was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the normal-E ginseng group than th low-E ginseng-free group. Neither dietary ginseng nor vitamin E significantly changed the hepatic antioxidant enzymes activity. This data indicates that ginseng supplements lower the concentration of plasma triglyceride and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity regardless of eh dietary vitamin E level. This information may contribute to understanding the interactive effect of ginseng and vitamin E on cholesterol biosynthesis in high cholesterol-fed rats.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.364-372
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• 2015

This study investigated the effects of fermented black raspberry (BR) and red ginseng (RG) extract co-treatment on lipid metabolism and obesity in rats fed with a high fat/high cholesterol diet (HFHCD) for 12 weeks. Compared to the corresponding values in rats fed with a HFHCD, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels increased in rats treated with fermented BR and RG extracts. These extracts significantly increased the expression of HMG-CoA reductase, LDL receptor, and sterol regulatory-element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) mRNA, but decreased the mRNA expression of SREBP-1. Additionally the serum levels of leptin and fatty acid synthase were decreased. Moreover, supplementation with fermented BR and RG effectively increased fecal cholesterol excretion. These results suggest that fermented BR and RG extracts might be effective at preventing hypercholesterolemia and obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.6-16
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• 2019

Purpose: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Pine needles (Pinus densiflora seib et Zucc) are a traditional medicine used to treat dyslipidemia in clinical settings. This study examined the potential effects of sulgidduk, a Korean traditional rice cake containing pine needle juice to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/sugidduk diet in a rat model. Methods: Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control (NC), Sulgidduk diet (SD), Sulgidduk diet containing pine needle juice (PSD). The blood lipid levels, production of lipid peroxide in the plasma and liver, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver and feces, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocytes were measured to assess the effects of PSD on dyslipidemia. Results: A high-fat/Sulgidduk diet induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. The food intake was similar in the three groups, but weight gain and food efficiency ratio (FER) were reduced significantly in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TBARS in the plasma showed tendencies to decrease in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The levels of high-fat/Sulgidduk diet-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) gene expression were reduced significantly in the PSD group. The supplementation of PSD reduced the hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels significantly, and enhanced the fecal excretion of triglyceride and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the SD group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of 0.4% pine needle juice to Sulgidduk may be an alternative snack to control dyslipidemia.