Abstract
The effects of freeze-dried broccoli (BR), its water extract (BE) or isolated soy protein (ISP) on lipid metabolism were investigated in 5-week-old male Wistar rats fed cholesterol enriched diets for 10 days. Increases in the concentrations of serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)+very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol (LDL+VLDL-C) were significantly suppressed in the 5% BR group in comparison to those of the basal diet group as control. The hypocholesterolemic activity of BR was comparable to that of ISP. Also, TC and LDL-C levels in the 2.5% BE group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The hypocholesterolemic activity of the 2.5% BE group was comparable to that of the 5% BR group. This study suggests that broccoli has cholesterol-lowering effects on hypercholesterolemic rats, and the hypocholesterolemic components of broccoli are mainly contained in the water extract.
