Abstract
Deficiency of the ovarian hormone estrogen by ovariectomy in rats induces hypercholesterolemia and accumulation of hepatic triglyceride. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nondigestive food components on lipid metabolism disorder in ovariectomized rats (OVX rats). For this purpose, "Yumekanae" as a low glutelin type rice cultivar and "Koshihikari" as a regular type rice cultivar, pectin as a water-soluble dietary fiber were used. Concentration of serum cholesterol in the OVX rats fed the Koshihikari rice flour diet lower than that in the OVX rats fed the other diets. BUN in OVX rats fed the pectin diet were slightly increased compared to that in rats fed the control diet. This result suggests a possibility that the pectin improves liver function in the OVX rats. Ingestion of Koshihikari and Yumekanae rice flour and pectin stimulated the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. or Lactobacillus spp. in the cecum of OVX rats. These results indicate that ingestion of rice flour (Koshihikari and Yumekanae) and pectin improves cecal microflora in the OVX rats. Furthermore, ingestion of Koshihikari rice flour may decrases serum cholesterol concentration in the OVX rats.
