DOSE-DEPENDENT AND TIME-DEPENDENT HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT OF OYSTER MUSHROOM (PLEUROTUS-OSTREATUS) IN RATS

The effect of the dose of oyster mushroom in the diet (1.0, 2.5, and 5 .0%) and of the period of application (8, 16, 28, and 52 wk) on choles terol accumulation in blood and body organs was studied in weanling ma le Wistar rats fed a diet containing 0.3% cholesterol. Reduction of ch olesterol in serum and body organs was found to be dependent on the am ount of dietary oyster mushroom administered. A negative correlation b etween the mushroom dose and cholesterol level was found after 8 and 2 8 wk of feeding (r = -0.9821 and -0.9803, respectively; P < 0.02 for b oth cases). The dose of 1% oyster mushroom did not affect cholesterol levels in serum or body organs. A significant reduction of cholesterol levels was observed in serum (31-46%) and liver (25-30%) at a dose of 5% of oyster mushroom for all periods. Reduced cholesterol content in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) was also observed at this level. The highest dose of oyster mushroom induced a decrease in conjugated diene levels in erythrocytes and an increase in the levels of reduced glutathione in the liver and stimulated the activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver in the final period of the experi ment. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 1998.