Unripened cheeses cultured with various starters improve lipid profile and antioxidant parameters in Sprague-Dawley male rats fed high-cholesterol diet

• Published in: Journal of nutrition and health Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 263 - 273
• Main Authors: Seo, Bo-Young, Paik, Hyun-Dong, Park, Eunju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 한국영양학회 01.06.2025
• Subjects: 생활과학
• ISSN: 2288-3886; 2288-3959
• DOI: 10.4163/jnh.2025.58.3.263

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of unripened cheese containing two different starter cultures on lipid profiles and antioxidant activity in rats with diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Methods: Unripened cheeses were produced using two types of starter cultures: ABT (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus thermophilus) and NK-34 (Lactococcus lactis). Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed a high-cholesterol (HC) diet containing 0.5% cholesterol, 4.8% lard, and 0.2% sodium cholate, supplemented with 5% unripened cheese containing either ABT or NK-34. Plasma lipid parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured. Liver tissue and fecal lipid excretion (total lipids, TC, and TG), plasma antioxidant vitamins (retinol, α- and γ-tocopherols), extent of lipid peroxidation in plasma measured by concentration of conjugated dienes, and in hepatic tissue using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) test were also assessed. To investigate the effect of unripened cheese on the reduction of oxidative stress at the DNA level, a comet assay was performed. Results: In both groups fed diets supplemented with unripened cheese, the plasma levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and AST were significantly lower than those in the HC group (p < 0.05). Fecal excretion of total lipids and TC was significantly increased. In addition, plasma concentrations of retinol and α-tocopherol were elevated, while levels of plasma conjugated dienes and leukocyte DNA damage were significantly reduced in the cheese-supplemented groups. Conclusion: Unripened cheese containing probiotic starter cultures effectively improved lipid metabolism and reduced oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemic rats. These findings suggest its potential application as a functional food for managing dyslipidemia and oxidative damage. KCI Citation Count: 0