Abstract
Exogenous oxidized cholesterol (OxChol) has deleterious effects on lipid metabolism. We therefore examined the effect of simultaneous consumption of wine polyphenol (WPP) and fish oil containing a high level of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in rats fed OxChol. The inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis by exogenous OxChol was slightly alleviated by the consumption of both WPP and DHA. The activity of hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase tended to be higher in rats fed both WPP and DHA than in those fed the control diet without polyphenol containing safflower oil as dietary fat. On the other hand, dietary WPP and DHA lowered hepatic Δ46 desaturase activity compared with that in the control group. Moreover, the level of OxChol excreted in feces was significantly higher in rats fed both WPP and DHA than in those fed the control diet. Thus, the simultaneous consumption of both WPP and DHA seems to alleviate the modulation of lipid metabolism by dietary OxChol, possibly through a combination of both the inhibition of OxChol absorption from the small intestine by WPP and the modulation of lipid metabolism by DHA.
