Abstract
Strepto-zotocin-induced diabetic rats were fed a high cholesterol diet containing 2.5% cholesterol and 0.5%cholic acid with or without adding dietary fiber (5% guar gum or 10% cellulose) and cholesterol concentrations in serum lipoprotein fractions were determined at 10, 20 and 40 days after the test feeding started.
1) Serum total cholesterol levels of rats raised by a high cholesterol diet were significantly lowered by the addition of 5% guar gum, but not significantly by 10% cellulose.
2) LDL cholesterol levels were markedly increased by a high cholesterol diet, while the addition of guar gum or cellulose was accompanied by significant reductions in LDL cholesterol levels. How-ever, such an effect of cellulose was observed only at 10 days.
3) Although a high cholesterol diet had little or no effect on HDL cholesterol levels, the addition of guar gum slightly increased its average values, but the difference was statistically insignificant. In contrast, cellulose showed a tendency to lower the level at 20 and 40 days after the test feeding started.
4) These results suggest that some dietary fibers such as guar gum induce animprovement in cholesterol metabolism of diabetic rats, although the level of effects of dietary fibers may be different from each other.
