COMPARATIVE CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING EFFECTS OF BARLEY BETA-GLUCAN AND BARLEY OIL IN GOLDEN SYRIAN-HAMSTERS

The cholesterol-lowering effect of barley and more specifically the co ntribution of barley fiber and barley oil to cholesterol-lowering was studied in hamsters. This was achieved by comparing a semi-purified di et containing cellulose and peanut oil (control) to a whole barley die t and barley diets from which barley fiber, barley oil, or barley oil and barley fiber were removed. The barley fiber was removed enzymatica lly and the oil was extracted with hexane. The cholesterol-lowering ef fect of the barley oil was also tested by adding it in place of peanut oil to the control semi-purified diet. Plasma triglycerides and HDL c holesterol levels were not influenced by dietary treatments. Total pla sma cholesterol was lower (P < 0.05) in hamsters fed diets containing barley soluble dietary fiber compared to those fed barley diets with S DF removed or those fed insoluble dietary fiber. Barley oil had no sta tistically significant lowering effect on plasma cholesterol levels co mpared to those of the controls. The data presented in this study with the hamster model supports the cholesterol-lowering effect of soluble fiber previously reported in other species, but does not support all reports concerning oils and nonsaponifiable oil constituents in this r espect. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.