DIETARY OLIGOFRUCTOSE LOWERS TRIGLYCERIDES, PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND CHOLESTEROL IN SERUM AND VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS OF RATS

The present study was aimed at answering the question why feeding rats an oligofructose (OFS) supplemented diet could cause a significant re duction in plasma lipid levels. Daily administration of a 10% (w/w) OF S-containing diet to normolipidemic male rats resulted in a decrease i n plasma triglycerides, phospholipids and chotesterol. The triglycerid e lower ing effect was observed after one week and lasted for at least 16 wk and was associated with a reduction in plasma very low density lipoproteins, indicating-that the hypolipidemic effect of OFS may be d ue to changes in liver lipid metabolism. We therefore tested whether O FS feeding modified the capacity of the liver to synthesize triglyceri des from free fatty acids. Hepatocytes isolated from livers of control and OFS-fed rats were incubated in the presence of [1-C-14]palmitate, and both intracellular and extracellular [C-14]triglyceride formation were quantified. We found that chron ic feeding of an OFS-supplemente d diet to rats significantly reduced the capacity of isolated hepatocy tes to synthesize triglycerides from palmitate. The results suggest th at, like other soluble dietary fibers, OFS significantly alters liver lipid metabolism, resulting over time in a significant reduction in pl asma triglyceride, phospholipid and cholesterol levels.