FEEDING OF BUCKWHEAT PROTEIN EXTRACT REDUCES HEPATIC TRIGLYCERIDE CONCENTRATION, ADIPOSE-TISSUE WEIGHT, AND HEPATIC LIPOGENESIS IN RATS

The objective of this study was to examine effects of feeding buckwhea t protein extract (BWPE) on hepatic and plasma lipids, fat pad weights and activities of enzymes relating to lipid metabolism in tissues of rats. Rats were fed a semipurified diet containing either buckwheat pr otein extract ol casein for 3 weeks. Food consumption and growth rate were unaffected by dietary treatment. Hepatic triglyceride concentrati on and the weights of epididymal and perirenal fat pad were significan tly lower in rats fed BWPE compared with those fed casein diet. BWPE S eeding caused lower activities of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrog enase and fatty acid synthase, but did not affect the activity of hepa tic carnitine palmitoyltransferase I. lit addition, BWPE caused increa ses in fecal fat and nitrogen. These results demonstrated that feeding BWPE causes reductions ii? hepatic triglyceride concentration and fat pad weights, and suggested that these reductions might be ascribed to lower activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes and to lower digestibil ity of fat and protein. Furthermore, analysis of plasma free amino aci ds showed marked increases of glycine and arginine iii rats fed BWPE c ompared with rats fed casein, raising the possibility thar these alter ations in plasma amino acids lend to reduction in body fat. (C) Elsevi er Science Inc. 1996