Abstract
The physiological functions and mechanisms of various food components that are thought to prevent atherosclerosis have been studied mainly in experimental animals. We found that plant stanols more effectively inhibit the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and exert stronger hypocholesterolemic activity than plant sterols. Plant sterols and stanols exert their cholesterol-lowering effect by inhibiting micellar solubility of cholesterol in the intestinal lumen. Tea catechins also inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption. Catechins with a galloyl moiety bind to micellar cholesterol in the intestinal lumen, and hence hinder the micellar solubility of cholesterol. We showed that one possible reason for the prevention of postprandial hypertriacylglycerolemia by tea catechins is inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity. Docosahexaenoic acid more effectively lowered the arachidonic acid content in tissue phospholipid fractions than did eicosapentaenoic acid. We showed that prevention of postprandial hypertriacylglycerolemia by ingestion of fish oil rich in docosahexaenoic acid is possibly due to suppression of secretion of VLDL-triacylglycerol from the liver. These studies provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of functional foods.
