THE INFLUENCE OF PERSIMMON PEEL AND PERSIMMON PULP ON THE LIPID-METABOLISM AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF RATS FED CHOLESTEROL

The aim of this study was to compare the hypocholesterolemic and antio xidant effects of two diets supplemented with dry persimmon in rats fe d cholesterol (C). Three groups of male Wistar mts each of 13 animals during 4 weeks were fed different diets: the control group (CG)-semipu rified diet with 1% of C and two experimental groups (EG1) and (EG2)-t he same diet fortified with 7% of dry persimmon peel and dry persimmon pulp, respectively. In animals of all three groups before and after t he 4-week trial period total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycer ides (TG), ann lipid peroxides (LP) were examined After the completion of the experiment a statistically significant increase in plasma TC a nd LDL-C in all three groups was found. In the animals of EG1 this inc rease was statistically less significant than in CG (P < 0.05 and P < 0.025 for TC and LDL-C, respectively). A statistically significant inc rease in the level of HDL-C was observed. The smallest one was in EG1. But only in the EG1 the HDL-C/TC ratio was increased more Significant ly (from 0.56 to 0.59). In EG1 a statistically less significant increa se in LP than in CG; (P < 0.01) was registered. The present results de monstrate that persimmon fruit exercises a hypocholesterolemic and ant ioxidant effects and therefore is considered for an antiatheroscleroti c diet. A diet fortified with dry persimmon peel is more efficient tha n rite same diet fortified with dry persimmon pulp. Therefore the pers immon peel showing the effectiveness of its antioxidant activity can b e used by individual consumers and in industrial processing. (C) Elsev ier Science Inc. 1998.