INFLUENCE OF WATER AND ETHANOL EXTRACTS OF THE OYSTER MUSHROOM (PLEUROTUS-OSTREATUS) ON SERUM AND LIVER LIPIDS OF THE SYRIAN-HAMSTERS

Extracts from the dried and ground fungus were prepared with water and with 30%, 60% and 85% ethanol, and thickened in vacuum. The whole fun gus and extracts were added to the hyperlipemizing diet in amounts equ ivalent to 3% of the whole fungus. After 6 weeks the whole fungus, its water as well as 30% and 60% ethanol extracts have significantly redu ced the contents of cholesterol (C) and triacylglycerols (TG) in the s erum. The C and TG contents of the liver were reduced by 34-48% (in th e case of TG insignificantly when applying the water and 60% ethanol e xtracts). The 85% ethanol extracts reduced the C and TG levels in both serum and liver statistically insignificantly by 18-22%. The reductio n of serum C by addition of the whole fungus and its water and 30% eth anol extract was decisively affected by the reduction in the C content s in the very low density fraction of lipoproteins.