D-GLUCARIC ACID CONTENT OF VARIOUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING EFFECTS OF DIETARY D-GLUCARATE IN THE RAT

The beneficial properties of different vitamins, minerals, and other m icronutrients have been studied for quite some time. But only recently has the potential usefulness of D-glucaric acid and its derivatives i n disease prevention been demonstrated. D-Glucaric acid is an end prod uct of the D-glucuronic acid pathway in mammals. Its dietary sources i nclude different fruits and vegetables. In the present study, D-glucar ic acid content in various fruits and vegetables was found to range fr om about 0.1 g/kg in grapes and lettuce to about 3.5 g/kg in apples an d broccoli. It was also shown that purified diets containing calcium D -glucarate or potassium hydrogen D-glucarate markedly lowered serum le vels of cholesterol in female Sprague-Dawley rats. The D-glucarates re duced total serum cholesterol in rats by up to 14% (P<0.05) and lowere d LDL-cholesterol by up to 35% (P<0.05), but had no effect on HDL chol esterol. These results provide a starting point for further studies of the mechanism by which D-glucaric acid salts lower serum cholesterol.