DIETARY TAURINE SUPPLEMENTATION REDUCES PLASMA AND LIVER CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN RATS FED A HIGH-CHOLESTEROL DIET

The effect of dietary taurine supplementation on plasma and hepatic li pid levels and phospholipid profiles were evaluated in rats fed a high -cholesterol diet. Three groups of male rats were fed one of the follo wing diets for 5 weeks: control diet (CD, cholesterol-free diet); high cholesterol diet (HCD, CD + 1.5% cholesterol); or high cholesterol, h igh taurine diet (HCHTD, CD + 1.5% cholesterol + 1.5% taurine). There was no significant difference in cumulative body weight gain among gro ups. However, liver weight and liver to body weight ratio were signifi cantly greater in rats fed HCD than those fed CD, and were lower in ra ts fed HCHTD than those fed HCD (p<0.05). Rats fed HCD showed signific antly higher plasma levels of total cholesterol (77% higher) and LDL+V LDL-cholesterol (181% higher), whereas HDL-cholesterol concentration w as lower in rats fed HCD than in controls. Rats fed HCHTD had signific antly lower plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (31% lower), LD L+VLDL-cholesterol (38% lower) and triglyceride (43% lower) than those fed HCD alone. Hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels were also significantly elevated in rats fed HCD compared to those fed CD. Tauri ne supplementation to HCD significantly lowered hepatic cholesterol (4 9% lower) and triglyceride (30% lower) concentrations compared to thos e fed HCD alone. Rats fed HCD had significantly higher phosphatidylcho line (PC)/phospharidylethanolamine (PE) ratio in the liver homogenates than those fed CD, and rats fed HCHTD had significantly lower hepatic PC/PE ratio than those fed HCD. Hepatic PC/PE ratio exhibited signifi cant positive correlations with both plasma and liver cholesterol conc entrations (p<0.05). These results suggest the hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic effects of dietary taurine supplementation in rat s fed a high cholesterol diet. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.