Hypocholesterolemic Effect Of Beech (Fagus crenata Blume) Xylan on Cholesterol-fed Rats

Abstract

The effect of xylan from beech (Fagus crenata Blume) sapwood on the plasma and liver cholesterol levels and on the excretion of cholesterol and bile acid in feces were studied in rats fed hypercholesterolemic diet. Supplementation with 5% of xylan to the hypercholesterolemic diet for one week caused about 26% and 17% of depression in the plasma and liver cholesterol levels, respectively, compared with the control group and when feeding period was continued two weeks they showed about 28% and 37% of depression. The intestinal absorption of cholesterol and bile acid was significantly inhibited in the groups fed xylan. Moreover, when the hypercholesterolemic diet was replaced by the test (xylan) diet, the accumulated liver cholesterol level was lowered more than that of normal group. This finding is seemed to be due to increased catabolism of cholesterol to bile acid by continued removal of bile acid.
On the basis of these results, it can be possibly concluded that the most important hypocholesterolemic effect of xylan is due to suppression of the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and bile acid.