Dietary chitosan enhances hepatic CYP7A1 activity and reduces plasma and liver cholesterol concentrations in diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats

• Published in: Nutrition research and practice Vol. 1; no. 3; pp. 175 - 179
• Main Authors: Moon, M.S. (Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Lee, M.S. (Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Kim, C.T. (Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam, Republic of Korea), Kim, Y.H. (Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), E-mail: yhmoon@ewha.ac.kr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 한국영양학회 01.01.2007; The Korean Nutrition Society and the Korean Society of Community Nutrition
• Subjects: CHITOSAN; CHITOSANE; CYP7A1 activity; hypocholesterolemic; Original Research; QUITOSANO; RAT; RATA; RATS; 생활과학; Chitosan; hypocholesterolemic; rat; CYP7A1 activity
• ISSN: 1976-1457; 2005-6168
• DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2007.1.3.175

The present study was performed to elucidate the hypocholesterolemic action of chitosan on the diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) were fed with chitosan-free diet (Control), diets containing 2% or 5% chitosan for 4 weeks. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by adding 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid to all diets. Body weight gain and food intake of rats did not differ among the groups. The chitosan treated groups showed significant improvement in the plasma concentration of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol compared to the control group (p less than 0.05). Also, the chitosan treated groups decreased the liver concentration of total lipid and total cholesterol compared to the control group (p less than 0.05). The activity of hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, was increased by 123% and 165% for the 2% or 5% chitosan diets, respectively.