Male Sprague-Dawlay rats were fed a O.5c/ccholesterol diet containing 5% cellulose, sodium alginate (SA) orpartially hydrolyzed low-molecular sodium alginate (Low-SA), asdietary fiber source, for 4 weeks. Serum and liver cholesterolconcentrations in rats fed the diet containing SA were comparableto those in rats fed the diet containing cellulose. But feeding ofLow-SA increased serum and liver cholesterol levels when comparedwith feeding of SA. Fecal total steroid excretion was decreased inthe Low-SA group. The concentration of triglyceride in serum andliver was significantly lower in the SA and Low-SA groups than inthe cellulose group. Feeding of SA reduced hepatic fatty acidsynthase activity and increased both hepatic carnitinepalmitoyltransferase activity and excretion of fecal triglyceride.Low-SA increased only the activity of carnitinepalmitoyltransferase. These results suggest that SA and Low-SAexert a triglyceride-lowering effect by the reduction of hepaticlipogenesis and/or the stimulation of fatty acid catabolism,although Low-SA, compared with SA, increased the levels of serumand liver cholesterol through the decrease of fecal steroidexcretion.
Key words: sodium alginate, Iow-molecular sodium alginate,cholesterol, triglyceride, Iipogenesis |
