Polysiloxane: potential noncaloric fat substitute; effects on body composition of obese Zucker rats

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 784 - 789
• Main Authors: Bracco, E F, Baba, N, Hashim, S A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.11.1987; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - pathology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition - drug effects; diet therapy; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Energy Intake; fat restricted diets; Feces; Female; Intestine, Small - pathology; low calorie diet; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Obesity; Obesity - diet therapy; Obesity - drug therapy; Obesity - pathology; Rats; Rats, Zucker; Silicones - therapeutic use; Siloxanes - therapeutic use; Animal model; Obesity; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Polysiloxane; Diet therapy; Food substitute; Rat; Rodentia; Lipids; Metabolic diseases
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/46.5.784

Phenylmethylpolysiloxane (PS), a noncaloric, nonabsorbable liquid oil, was studied for effects on body comparison as fat substitute in the diet. Two groups of female obese Zucker rats were fed either a control low-fat (LF) or an experimental diet containing PS (22% wt/wt) incorporated into LF. Two additional groups were fed either PS or cellulose (CE) in diet providing equivalent caloric dilution. Rats on PS lost weight whereas LF control rats gained. Dissectible fat and adipocyte size of PS were smaller than those of LF. Food intake, body water, and adipocyte number did not differ between PS and LF. Body protein on PS increased only in proportion to weight. When both diets were diluted, PS animals lost more weight than CE controls despite similar food intakes, suggesting absorption of calorigenic substances derived from partial digestion of CE but not PS by intestinal microflora. Obese rats did not compensate for caloric dilution with PS.