POLYMERIC GRAPE SEED TANNINS PREVENT PLASMA-CHOLESTEROL CHANGES IN HIGH-CHOLESTEROL-FED RATS

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of grape seed tannins in either monomeric or polymeric form on plasma cholesterol in rats. These tannins were supplemented at a level of 2% of the diet of high-cholesterol-fed Sprague Dawley rats for 9 weeks; the diets were compared with a diet without tannins (control diet) and with a standar d diet. Rats fed diets containing 1% cholesterol showed an increase in total and low-density lipoprotein plasma cholesterol and a decrease i n plasma high-density lipoprotein. These changes were prevented by the addition of 2% polymeric grape tannins but not by monomeric tannins. Similarly, liver weight, liver lipids and total liver cholesterol were increased by dietary cholesterol and these increases were largely inh ibited by the tannin polymers but not the monomers. The polymers signi ficantly increased the faecal excretion of lipids and cholesterol. In conclusion, we have shown that polymeric grape seed tannins exert a hy pocholesterolaemic effect in high-cholesterol-fed rats.