OAT BRAN, BARLEY AND MALTED BARLEY LOWER PLASMA-CHOLESTEROL RELATIVE TO WHEAT BRAN BUT DIFFER IN THEIR EFFECTS ON LIVER CHOLESTEROL IN RATSFED DIETS WITH AND WITHOUT CHOLESTEROL

Males rats were fed diets containing wheat bran, oat bran, barley or m alted barley without or with 10 g/kg cholesterol + 1 g/kg cholic acid (referred to as ''cholesterol''). Plasma total, HDL, and VLDL + LDL ch olesterol concentrations were higher overall in rats fed cholesterol. There was a significant interaction between dietary cholesterol and ce real type. Higher concentrations of total and VLDL + LDL cholesterol w ere found in rats fed cholesterol with wheat bran than in those fed oa t bran, barley or malted barley. HDL cholesterol concentrations were h igher overall in rats fed wheat bran than in those fed oat bran or bar ley but not malted barley. Liver cholesterol pools were higher overall in rats fed cholesterol. In all animals fed oat bran, liver cholester ol was lower than in rats fed barley or malted barley. Hepatic HDL rec eptor activity was lower overall in rats fed cholesterol. There was no independent effect of cereal type on HDL receptor activity, but there was a significant interaction with dietary cholesterol. Activity tend ed to be higher in rats fed malted barley with cholesterol than in rat s fed malted barley without cholesterol. LDL receptor activity was not affected by cereal type but was significantly lower overall in rats f ed cholesterol.