D. Kritchevsky et al., Effects of 4-methylsterols from algae and of beta sitosterol on cholesterol metabolism in rats, NUTR RES, 19(11), 1999, pp. 1649-1654
Male Sprague Dawley rats (8/gp) were fed one of the following diets: AIN76A
(C), C plus 0.5% 4-methylsterols (CM), C plus 0.5% beta sitosterol (CS), C
plus 0.5% cholesterol (CC), CC plus 0.15% sodium deoxycholate (CB), CB plu
s 1% 4-methylsterols (CBM) or CB plus 1% beta sitosterol (CBS). The 4-methy
lsterols had no adverse effect on weight gain or organ weight. The 4-methyl
sterols did not affect serum or liver lipids when added to the control diet
or to the cholesterol-bile salt diet. When added to the control diet beta
sitosterol increased the percentage of serum HDL cholesterol and lowered le
vels of liver esterified cholesterol. When added to the cholesterol-bile sa
lt diet beta sitosterol significantly lowered serum cholesterol and raised
HDL-cholesterol levels; beta sitosterol also reduced liver total cholestero
l. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.