THE MUSHROOM PLEUROTUS-OSTREATUS REDUCES SECRETION AND ACCELERATES THE FRACTIONAL TURNOVER RATE OF VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS IN THE RAT

In male rats fed a diet containing 1.5% cholesterol and 5% of dried mu shroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) a significantly reduced accumulation of c holesterol in serum (by 45%) and the liver (by 15%) was observed at th e end of the 12th week of the experiment. The decrease in serum choles terol level by more than 90% is a consequence of the decreased cholest erol concentration of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and of low- density lipoproteins. Consumption of P. ostreatus reduces the total VL DL entry into the circulation by 19% and accelerates (by 49%) fraction al turnover rate of VLDL.