Astragalus Polysaccharides Lowers Plasma Cholesterol through Mechanisms Distinct from Statins

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 6; no. 11; p. e27437
• Main Authors: Cheng, Yunjiu, Tang, Kai, Wu, Suhua, Liu, Lijuan, Qiang, Cancan, Lin, Xiaoxiong, Liu, Bingqing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 16.11.2011; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Absorption; Acids; Animals; Astragalus; Astragalus Plant - chemistry; Bile; Bile acids; Bile Acids and Salts - metabolism; Biology; Biotechnology industry; Blood lipids; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - biosynthesis; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol - metabolism; Cricetinae; Deoxycholic acid; Excretion; Feces; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Hamsters; Hydroxylase; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases - metabolism; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Hypercholesterolemia; Hyperlipidemias - blood; Hyperlipidemias - enzymology; Hyperlipidemias - metabolism; Hyperlipidemias - pathology; Intestinal Absorption - drug effects; Intestine, Small - drug effects; Intestine, Small - metabolism; Lipids; Lipoproteins (low density); Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - enzymology; Liver - metabolism; Low density lipoprotein; Low density lipoproteins; Male; Medicine; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Receptors, LDL - genetics; Receptors, LDL - metabolism; Rodents; Saccharides; Simvastatin; Small intestine; Statins; Synthesis; Triglycerides; China

To determine the efficacy and underlying mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemia hamsters. The effect of APS (0.25 g/kg/d) on plasma and liver lipids, fecal bile acids and neutral sterol, cholesterol absorption and synthesis, HMG-CoA reductase activity,...