Fish Oil Containing Phytosterol Esters Alters Blood Lipid Profiles and Left Ventricle Generation of Thromboxane A2 in Adult Guinea Pigs

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition Vol. 132; no. 6; pp. 1149 - 1152
• Main Authors: Ewart, H. Stephen, Cole, Laura K., Kralovec, Jaroslav, Layton, Heather, Curtis, Jonathan M., Wright, Jeffrey L.C., Murphy, Mary G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.06.2002; American Society for Nutritional Sciences
• Subjects: adults; Biological and medical sciences; blood; cholesterol; corn oil; esters; experimental diets; Feeding. Feeding behavior; fish oil; fish oils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; guinea pigs; ingredients; phytosterol esters; phytosterols; polyunsaturated fatty acids; serum cholesterol; thromboxane A2; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; PS(n-3); serum cholesterol; LDL-C; PUFA; TXA2 (B2); phytosterol esters; fish oil; guinea pigs; CO; thromboxane A2; TC; HDL-C; EPA; TAG; DHA; Arachidonic acid derivatives; Thromboxane A2; Rodentia; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Animal origin; Lipids; n-3 fatty acid; Fish oil; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Guinea pig; Eicosanoid; Phytosterol; Unsaturated fatty acid
• ISSN: 0022-3166; 1541-6100
• DOI: 10.1093/jn/132.6.1149

This study was designed to investigate the lipid-lowering ability of a novel dietary ingredient composed of phytosterols esterified to (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [PS(n-3)]. Adult guinea pigs were fed a test diet supplemented with PS(n-3) (25 g/kg) and corn oil (CO, 5g/kg), whereas the diet fed to control guinea pigs was supplemented with CO only (30 g/kg). Cholesterol was added to both diets (0.8 g/kg). After 3–4 wk of consuming the diets, serum total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglyercol (TAG) in the PS(n-3) group were 36 and 29% lower, respectively, than levels in controls (P < 0.05). The lower TC levels in the PS(n-3) group reflected a 38% reduction in non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C), whereas the HDL-C concentration was unaffected. Analysis of cardiac left ventricle indicated that generation of the proaggregatory, arrhythmic eicosanoid, thromboxane A2, was >60% lower in the PS(n-3)-supplemented guinea pigs than in CO controls (P < 0.001). This study demonstrates that the TAG-lowering and eicosanoid-modifying properties of the fish oil (n-3) PUFA are retained when they are provided in the diet in ester linkage with hypocholesterolemic phytosterols.